


Broken Spirit - Part 1

by SonicoSenpai



Series: Broken Spirit [1]
Category: Lamento -BEYOND THE VOID-
Genre: Alternate Universe, Aphrodisiacs, Beating, Bondage, Bondage and Discipline, Dubious Consent, Explicit Sexual Content, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, I have it out for Konoe, I really should sleep before posting smut chapters, I suck at tagging, M/M, Master/Slave, Non-Consensual Bondage, Non-Consensual Drug Use, Non-Consensual Groping, Non-Consensual Spanking, Punishment, Rape/Non-con Elements, Sexual Abuse, Sexual Content, Sexual Slavery, Sexual Violence, Slavery, Spanking, Violence, What Was I Thinking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-07
Updated: 2018-03-07
Packaged: 2019-03-28 04:20:11
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 10
Words: 23,622
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13896114
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SonicoSenpai/pseuds/SonicoSenpai
Summary: Konoe didn’t escape those first bandits in the forest. They caught him, and sold him to a strange place, where he now finds himself. Also, I’m not sure that Konoe is (literally) cursed in this fiction.Characters are not mine. They are from Lamento: Beyond the Void by Nitro+Chiral. BUT they may not act like they do in the game. I think some of them are going to be pretty mean in this fiction. So if you don’t like that kind of thing, (make sure you read my tags!! I didn’t just put them in for shits and giggles) maybe skip this piece.There is a serious punishment in this chapter. Don’t read this if that kind of violence bothers you.





	1. Chapter 1

It’s cold.

Wrapping his tail around his naked body, Konoe doesn’t know how long he’s been in this place. It’s a tiny cramped cage, bars on all four sides and the top, not tall enough for him to stand up. If he tries to stand, he can only crouch. When he first arrived, he tried to crouch a little every day to try to get his muscles working, but he has since given up. His muscles have atrophied to the point where he can barely move anymore.

There’s a small basin for him to relieve himself, but it’s rarely used. When little is ingested, little is expelled. _That must be done on purpose to keep the smell under control. Possibly for cost_ , Konoe thinks to himself.

 _They must not want me for food. If they wanted me for food, wouldn’t they feed me to fatten me up? Who would enjoy eating a scrawny cat, even if I_ am _young?_ He had just reached his twentieth year, but his mind is hazy, so he can't be sure of the date.

Konoe _knows_  his mind is not right. There are other cats in cages just like his—about a dozen cats, all young males in similar condition. All they do is sleep. They are being drugged from the food and water. When Konoe first arrived, he declined all nutrition, after realizing they were drugged. However, the consequences were severe.

A large cat, with a gray tail and ears, a nasty scar on his face, nearly twice his size, stopped in front of his cage when he noticed Konoe’s food and water were untouched.

“You are refusing to eat?” His loud voice boomed.

“Not hungry, not thirsty,” Konoe replied quietly.

“You will suffer the consequences when you do not follow instructions. You will be receiving minimal nutrition while you are housed here. Eat what we provide. When you disobey orders, we will make an example out of you.” The warning was threatening, but Konoe stood his ground. What did he have to lose, after all?

The large cat opened Konoe’s cage and pulled him out by the scruff of his neck, ignoring his struggles. Instead, he addressed the other cats, watching nervously from their cages.

“Young ones, pay attention. _This_ is what happens when you disobey an order here.”

Fear and regret overtook Konoe, causing sweat to break out all over his body.

The larger cat started with humiliation. He ripped off Konoe’s shirt, carelessly shredding it to pieces. His sash and apron fell to the ground. Stripping off Konoe’s pants and underwear came next, pulling off his boots in the process.

“Disobedient cats do _not_ have the privilege of wearing clothes at this establishment. It will be getting colder, and unfortunately for this cat, he will find himself chilly this evening.”

Konoe was mortified, turning a bright shade of pink, flushing all over. He brought his tail to the front of his body for modesty’s sake, but it was useless.

“Ok, ok,” he cried, “I’m sorry, I’ll eat! Just let me go!”

“Oh, the consequences of your misbehavior haven’t even _begun_ yet, little one,” rumbled the giant gray cat. “It’s too late now to be asking for mercy. I have no doubt you will eat, but not until _after_ your punishment.”

Konoe started to shake and tremble uncontrollably—he was naked, and he felt like a coward, exposed in front of all the other cats.

The large cat produced a thin wooden cane and commanded Konoe to hold out his hands in front of him, palms up. “You’ll receive ten lashes. You will count out loud.”

Konoe cowered before the other cages, his arms held out quivering before him, palms up, waiting for the first stroke. It came down fast, stinging more than he could have ever imagined.

“One,” managed Konoe, through gritted teeth.

Slap—  
“Two,” Konoe winced, the pain spreading to the tips of his fingers.

Slap—  
“Three,” Konoe saw red stripes against the whites of his palms, pain spreading into the tips of his claws, which had been drawn in response to the blows. He didn't think cats had feeling in their claws, but apparently, he was mistaken.

Slap—  
“Four.” The pain had nowhere to go after the tips of his fingers, so it pooled there, feeling heavy. He didn’t think he could make it through this. Not even halfway done, and he was already out of breath.

Slap—  
After a brief pause, he managed the count. “Five,” Now, the pain spread upwards toward his wrists, and tears began to run down his face.

Slap—  
“Six.” He hitched a breath to hold back a sob.

Slap—  
“Seven.” This time, the sob broke through. The pain spread toward his elbows.

“Slap—  
“Eight!” He heaved a real sob with tears this time, as the pain continued upwards to his shoulders.

Slap—  
“Nine!” Nearly unable to keep his hands in place and shaking, each knuckle in his hand on fire.

“Keep those hands still, or I will start over!” The warning was frightening enough to work, and Konoe managed to keep his hands steady for the last blow.

Slap—  
“Ten!” He nearly screamed with relief, tears and sobbing now completely out of his control.

“Turn around and get on your knees. Put your hands on the floor. Come on, move it.”

Still quietly sobbing, and shocked that the punishment wasn’t yet over, Konoe complied as quickly as he could. Tears falling from his amber eyes, he looked at the large cat and begged earnestly. “I’m sorry, I will obey, I will eat now. Please, please forgive me? _Please_.”

“I know you will obey without question when we are finished here. But we are not finished making an example out of you just yet. Turn around and face forward. I want to hear you count out loud.”

Smack—  
Konoe was shocked when he felt the cane come down against the soles of his bare feet. They were completely unprotected, and it burned!

“Ah! One!”

Smack—  
“Two—ugh.” Tears were already falling, and he tried to keep his feet from hiding beneath his body.

“If you move those feet, I will start over,” warned the large cat.

Konoe could see the other captive cats shifting uncomfortably in their cages, but there was nothing they could do.

Smack—  
“Ah—three!” Konoe almost screamed. Pain from the bottom of his feet spread into to his toes, which curled up in defense.

Smack—  
“Four!” Konoe cried out loudly, his sobs filling the otherwise silent room. The burning continued to spread into his ankles. He tried to move his buttocks down over his ankles to keep them in place. But he was afraid that his ass might be caught by mistake.

Smack—  
“Five,” he managed in a slightly quieter voice, though still covered with tears. The pain spread upwards into his shins. The thought ran through his mind as to how pain worked. Do the nerves in his feet really work that way, or is it a hallucination?

Smack—  
“Six,” even more quietly, mixed with the sound of his honest crying. Konoe leaned his body forward, pressing his sore hands against his knees, trying desperately to encourage the pain to stay below them.

Smack—  
“Seven,” Konoe choked out the count. His knees burned now, and he kept his face low to the ground.

Smack—  
“Eight—ah!” Simply aiming for survival, only a small sob mixed in with his counting now. This pain burst through, past his knees up into his thighs. It seemed to branch out into his inner thighs. He shoved his hands in between his legs, as though this might push the pain back down.

Smack—  
“Uh—Nine!” Konoe yelled, unable to keep his voice down.

Smack—  
“Ten!” Konoe sobbed and cried with relief, tears flowing freely, face down on the floor in front of his body.

“Remain in this position, but stretch out your tail,” commanded the large cat.

 _No_ , thought Konoe, _Not my tail. I can’t._ The tail is a Ribika’s weak point, and his was far more sensitive than others.

“P-please, I-I have learned my lesson,” begged Konoe, hating the sound of his sobbing voice. “Please, n-not my t-tail!”

“If I have to make you comply, you’ll get **twice** the punishment,” warned the larger cat. “This is your only chance. Stretch out your tail _now_.”

With a mix between a whine and growl, Konoe obeyed, hearing cringing from the cages behind him. His fur bristled, his fangs bared, his claws drawn. His body shook. He stretched out his tail behind him, laying it out flat on the ground.

“Ah, so yours is already crooked, I see,” chuckled the large cat. “It won’t matter if I break it a little more then. Again, count to ten for me.”

Konoe tried to prepare himself for the first blow, but he couldn’t. He heard a swish and a large _crack._

He screamed in pain and shouted, “one,” over his tears. How was he going to force his tail to stay where it was for the duration of the entire punishment?

Again, swish and crack!

Konoe screamed and yelled, “two,” flattening the rest of his body to the ground as much as possible.

Swish... crack!

“Three!” Konoe saw stars in the corner of his vision, and fresh tears flowed down his cheeks. 

Swish... crack!

“Four!” He could barely feel his feet and hands anymore, as pain shot up his spine. His stomach heaved.

Swish... crack!

“Five!” Not bothering to care about how much he was sobbing in front of all these people, Konoe simply howled.

Swish... crack!

“Six!” Snot ran down his face, making his voice sound funny. His abused tail lay limply on the ground.

Swish... crack!

“Seven!” That one felt like something actually broke back there, close to the hooked end. He couldn’t imagine having an even more crooked tail, and tears started flowing anew.

Swish... crack!

“Eight!” Getting closer to the end of the punishment, Konoe began to relax into it, though unable to still his cries.

Swish... crack!

“Nine!” Almost there... though that blow was in a fresh spot, causing a new burst of pain to spread up his spine.

Swish... crack!

“Ten!” Konoe completely broke down and pulled his burning tail around his himself, wanting to lick it, and care for it. But it was too hot and too sore even to touch. He felt relief most of all, hoping the ordeal was over. He had completely forgotten he was naked at this point.

“Now, young one, I’m sure you’re sorry, and you’ve had enough. But there’s still one more punishment to go before you can show your true repentance.”

Konoe looked up through his tears, utterly horrified. He couldn't handle anything else. His face showed utter despair.

“Stand here, and put your hands against the wall.”

Konoe obeyed, limping on his sore feet, as it was hard to stand, harder to walk, difficult to touch the wall with his hands, since all his limbs were bruised from the beating.

“No, little one. Back your rear out a bit and spread your legs. You’re going to need the wall to brace yourself. You’ll want to keep your tail out of the way, too.”

The large cat sounded almost sympathetic at this point, but it didn’t matter since he was the one causing all of this pain. He looked out to the caged cats and said, “I hope all of you are watching and learning from this kitten’s experience. I’d hate to have to repeat this process, but I will if necessary.”

Konoe was now in position, and received the first incredibly loud blow to his bare buttocks, right at the sit spot, where his legs and bottom meet, and he gave a loud yelp.

“One,” a resigned sigh falling from his sob-strained voice. The pain was as intense as the beating to his tail, but his voice was nearly gone.

Smack!  
“Two,” an even quieter acknowledgment fell from the small cat’s lips. He was crying in earnest, and he sounded truly hopeless.

Smack!  
“Three.” Shaking with pain after each blow, his voice still managed to count. His legs trembled with terror in anticipation of the next blow. They threatened to give out from under him.

Smack!  
“Four.” The other cats could barely hear his counting through the cries. Pain sparked up and down his legs and ass.

Smack!  
“Five, uh-” A grunt followed the count this time, as the blow hit squarely on his ass. He was shaking uncontrollably now, and he nearly lost his balance.

Smack!  
“Six.” Unrestrained sobbing flowed from his mouth. With this blow, he actually did lose his balance, but he managed to catch himself before he hit the ground. Frightened that the beating would start from the beginning, Konoe jumped back into position and started begging. "Please, _please_. I just lost my balance! Please, forgive me! _Please_!"

Smack!  
“Seven.” His claws scraped the wall in front of him desperately. He was pleased to count the seventh blow, however, since he couldn't have started over under any circumstance!

Smack!  
“Eight. Ah!” A flinch and scream with this blow. Konoe’s hindquarters were a covered with bright red stripes and were starting to bruise and blister.

Smack!  
“Nine.” The small cat’s will was definitely broken. His head hung low, his tail drooped to the side, knees shook, tears dripping to the floor.

Smack!  
“Ten,” Konoe collapsed after the last blow in a puddle of tears and sobs.

“Ok, so that’s the lesson for today, young ones. He will now go back to his cell to finish his cold food and drink all of his water,” the large cat announced.

Konoe was a mess. He could not remember being returned to his cell, but he did obediently do what he was told, choking on his tears while doing so. He was even a little thankful for the drugs since he could hardly move after the beating. Even with the drugs, for the next few days, he couldn’t get comfortable—not sitting, not standing, not touching anything. He couldn’t even groom himself effectively.

His rebellion discouraged other cats from stepping out of line, but the other captives lost clothing privileges as the days went on, many after the showers. Those were mostly done with a hose, cold water held up at the cage, leaving the kittens shivering and wet.

_How did I end up here? Oh yes, I let myself be caught by those bandits in the forest. I should have run the other way, I should have fought harder._

Konoe loses himself in thought and lets his mind drift with the drugs. He is just tired and sore and wants rest. He curls his sore tail around himself and drifts off to sleep, wondering what’s in store for him.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Konoe is prepped for the auction and is auctioned off to a new owner.
> 
> This chapter contains intimidation, non-con aphrodisiac administration, non-con touching, public nudity, and is generally unpleasant for poor Konoe.

In a drugged haze, Konoe can’t tell how much time has passed. He tried counting when he first arrived, but he kept losing track. Plus, counting holds less of an appeal after that horrendous punishment—his body remembering blistering pain on the palms of his hands, the soles of his feet, his tail ( _there might be a broken bone back there_ ), and his ass.

Additionally, the cages are kept in a dark warehouse, so he can’t tell whether the moon of light or the moon of shadow is shining. He believes they are fed about once daily, and he makes sure to clean up his plate each time food and water is offered, though he knows drugs are mixed in with the stale bread. Without it, however, he would starve. And he needs the water to survive.

At one point, the gray cat enters the warehouse and states, “All right, kittens, listen up. You’ll be having visitors this evening. These are your prospective new owners, so you’ll want to be on your best behavior. We will be showing you off individually. I don’t want any resistance.”

With that last statement, his green eyes drift in Konoe’s direction.

“I’m sure I don’t need to remind you of the consequences. Our past visitors have _greatly_ enjoyed seeing us punish disobedience, and I’d be delighted to make a spectacle out of one of you.” He approaches Konoe, who shrinks back in his cage as far as he can.

“Especially you, young one. It appears your injuries from your first week haven’t entirely healed, so I’m sure an additional punishment would be beneficial for your training at this point.”

He seems to enjoy seeing Konoe cower in fear, approaching the cage closely. Konoe feels gooseflesh crawling over his bare skin.

“I quite enjoyed administering your punishment. I would love to do it again,” he murmurs softly. “It may be my last chance, I suppose, since your hooked tail and adorable face are bound to be popular among our collectors. I will miss you,” he adds thoughtfully.

 _Collectors? Did he say "collectors"?_ Konoe thought, _Collectors of what? Of kittens? Who are these people? Are we slaves?_ His curiosity is burning now, a question on the tip of his tongue, but the large gray cat is just too intimidating. Those green eyes look too hungry for him to dare to ask.

“What is it, young one?” The features of the large gray face soften a little. “You look curious. Aren’t you? Don’t you want to know what is in store for you at this evening’s festivities?”

Konoe stares at the gray cat from the corner of his cage carefully. His facial features have softened, but his eyes haven’t. His green eyes don’t match the rest of his face at all. They remain hard and glassy, determined and threatening. Konoe doesn’t know what to do, or whether to respond.

“Answer me!” The loud voice booms, startling Konoe, making him flinch. The gray cat chuckles, knowing he’s forced the smaller cat into an impossible position.

“... Yes, sir. I am curious,” answers Konoe, in the smallest voice possible. “B-but I d-don’t have a r-right to a-ask.” He manages to stutter, dropping his gaze to the ground. He makes himself as small as possible, keeping himself coiled in a tight ball, wrapping his abused tail around his body, praying his response won’t earn him further punishment.

“You’re correct there,” agrees the larger cat. “You have no right to ask, and no right to know. You lost that right when you were captured. So you won’t know until the time comes.”

After a small pause, the gray cat adds, “I will be keeping my eye on you. Don’t get out of line. You’ll regret it.”

Konoe continues to look at his feet, his stomach turning over fearfully.

“Let’s get you prepped and ready for display,” the gray cat says, addressing the group of kittens. “We’re going to start with a dose of wine for you. Make sure you drink it all. Don’t spill it. This is expensive stuff, and there will be consequences for any of you who spill even one drop.”

Eyeing Konoe, he continues, “Since you’ve learned your lesson so well, let’s start with you.”

He pours a small cup of amber liquid from a large bottle and presses the cup into Konoe’s hands through the bars of the cage.

“Drink up. Quickly now. The others are waiting.”

Suspiciously, Konoe sniffs the liquid in the cup. It smells surprisingly delicious, however, and he knows he doesn’t have a choice in the matter.

“I didn’t ask you to smell it! Drink it up now.”

Konoe jumps at the command and puts the cup to his lips. The liquid burns his mouth and throat— _it must have a high alcohol content_ —but it doesn’t taste terrible. He tries to down in all in one go and ends up choking a little. He manages not to spill any, however.

“There’s a good kitten. Next!” The gray cat takes the cup from Konoe and pours the next cup for the cat in the cage next to him, and goes down the line.

By the time each of the dozen captives have had their drinks, Konoe is beginning to feel quite strange—a feeling he can’t quite put his finger on. He is starting to sweat, his mouth dry. He realizes his tongue is hanging out of his mouth, like he’s panting, rather indelicately. Is he thirsty? He can’t tell. He can’t recall ever feeling like this before. His body feels strange—his chest tight—his heart is beating fast, and he can hear his heartbeat thumping loudly in his ears. It’s so loud he thinks it may be audible from the outside as well.

After a few moments, he starts to become even more distracted. The fur on his tail starts to bristle, and his ears flatten a little against his head. _Am I drooling? What is wrong with me? Do I have a fever? Did that drink make me sick?_ He lies his head on the ground, trying to find a cool space on the floor of his cage, unwinding his body from his curled position, because he can’t get comfortable.

He has forgotten he is nude, and he doesn’t care anymore. He just wants to be cooler. He is burning up—his entire body is burning up. He touches his chest and he feels hot to the touch. Also, the touch even tingles slightly. He doesn’t understand, so he closes his eyes for a moment. He tries to stretch himself out as much as he can within his cage, but he ends up pushing his feet and arms out through the bars, along with his tail.

In the corner of his eye, he notices other cats behaving the same way, and he hears some moans of discomfort, which sound heavenly to his ears, making him tingle even more. The kitten in the cage next to him accidentally brushes Konoe’s tail with his foot, and Konoe feels something like electricity zapping through his body, all the way down his spine to his private parts, which are exposed to the air, and he gets a pleasant rush of feeling (and blood) to that area.

_Ugh—what was that? What is wrong with me? I need some water. I think I’m dying of thirst._

Konoe suddenly feels a harsh pull at his tail, and he lets out a soft moan—he doesn’t know if it’s pain or pleasure or both. His unfocused, half-lidded eyes look out of his cage and are met the bold green eyes of the large gray cat.

_Is he pulling my tail?_

“There is something wrong with me. I need some water, please,” begs Konoe. “Please, may I have something to drink?”

The gray cat continues stroking Konoe’s tail gently, sending ripples of pleasure up and down his tail and spine and something like desire into his hips. The larger cat smiles, saying, “Your new owner is going to be mighty pleased with you. It’s really too bad we can’t have a quick trial run before tonight. It might be fun, don’t you think?”

Konoe hears the words but doesn't understand their meaning. “Trial run? Fun? What do you mean?” His eyes won’t focus, and his words are slurred. _I just feel so weird, and I’m so thirsty._

“Please, won’t you give me some water to drink?”

The gray cat pushes a cup into Konoe’s hands, which he drinks greedily. The liquid burns his mouth— _this isn’t water! This is that same alcoholic stuff as before!_ —but when he tries to hand it back through the bars, the gray cat warns him, “No, drink it all. Don’t you dare spill a drop! You said you were thirsty! So drink up!”

Konoe looks miserable but drinks it up just the same.

Soon, the large cat leaves the captive kittens alone, and Konoe can hear delightful purring— _am I purring? Why am I purring? I’m so hot!_ —and uncomfortable rustling sounds from the cages next to him.

He can’t tell how much time passes, but shortly he hears raucous noise from outside. _A lot of noise,_ he thinks. Shortly after that, he thinks he hears a loud voice, _maybe an announcer_ , but he can’t understand the words.

The gray cat returns in a short while, and he does something with the kitten in the cage closest to the wall— _I think he just took him out of the cage! Where’s he going?_ But Konoe is too distracted and uncomfortable to care or do anything. He’s exhausted, thirsty, and his body feels so weird, out of control.

More time passes, and the next kitten disappears the same way. And then the next. Konoe realizes that the cage next to him is empty.

Then, the large gray cat with green eyes is in front of his cage, saying something. The door is open, and Konoe is being dragged out, by the scruff of his neck. He can’t fight, he can barely move, and he can’t understand what the gray cat is saying, but he sees a cruel smile in the gray cat’s eyes.

“... are you feeling, young one? Looks like that extra dose got you good. It’s working way better for you than those other kittens....”

 _What? Is he talking to me?_ His half-lidded eyes watch the gray cat. He can’t get his body to do anything at all.

“... can’t even walk?” Konoe hears a chuckle. “I’d keep you myself if I had the money. I wonder which lucky bastard will be taking you home tonight!”

“Come on, then,” the gray cat hoists Konoe up over his shoulder, and walks out of the warehouse.

Konoe feels the cold fresh air against his naked skin for the first time in... a long time. _How long has it been? A week? Two weeks? Three? Oh, I’m naked. Where am I? This is so surreal. Is this a dream? It must be a dream._

He is unceremoniously dropped on the ground, where he is instantly blinded by several bright lights. He realizes instantly that there are fire lit lamps all around the platform he is on, and he usually shies away from fire. But it feels nice and warm on his skin, and the combination of cool breeze and warm air against his naked body feels so good. He can’t help but relax.

And it’s so noisy—he hears so much noise—a raucous crowd must be close by—he hears yelling, calling, cackling and laughter. _What does this mean? Someone seems to be having a good time._ The corners of his lips lift just a little bit in a soft smile. He’s glad to hear cats having a good time.

The gray cat stands him up to face forward. He can’t see the crowd, because of the lights blinding him, but he can tell there’s a large crowd out there.

 _Wait. Wait just a minute._  
Suddenly, Konoe hears a small alarm in the back of his mind and makes a connection. _I’m on a stage._

_I’m naked. I’m on a stage. There’s a large crowd of cats out there. They are looking at me. **They are looking at me.**_

Konoe starts to blush furiously—and soon, his entire body is flushing red. But he can’t move, and he can’t respond. He can’t do anything. His body is completely out of control, doing something embarrassing—blood rushing to his private parts in a way he feels is completely shameful—and his heart is pounding in his ears—and he feels his stomach drop. He can’t cover himself because of how the gray cat is holding his arms. He can’t even stand on his own, nor keep his eyes open all the way.

In addition to the gray cat, there’s another large cat, tan with brown spotted ears, who seems to be acting as an announcer, on the stage. The wine mixed with drugs are still powerful, so Konoe can’t quite make out what he is saying, but some of the words sound like this:

“... kitten, very young, not yet experienced his first heat, barely twenty. Feisty temperament, so keep this in mind. Gave us some trouble, as you can see.”

Here, the gray cat turns Konoe around, showing off his blistered behind. Konoe tries to resist being shown off in this manner, at least trying to move his puffed up tail to cover himself, but it is undulating in a provocative motion, all on its own, and he can’t control its movement. He can hear the crowd respond appreciatively.

“Responds well to punishment, however. He gave us no trouble afterward. Also is an excellent responder to catnip, as you can clearly see now, ha hah!”

The gray cat has turned him around to face forward at this point, and the crowd laughs again, along with the announcer here. He can also feel the gray cat’s hand fondling his dick, which is painfully hard and leaking. Konoe casts his eyes down, ashamed and blushing, and he can’t believe this is actually happening.

_This has to be a dream. This cannot be happening._

The announcer continues, “Notice he has a crooked tail as well—this is most likely a sign of a luck, and is very unusual.”

Konoe makes out those words, and can feel the gray cat grabbing his tail to stretch it out for display. He has always been insecure about his crooked tail, and is absolutely mortified when his worst insecurity is pointed out like this, even in his drugged state. Tears flood his eyes, and he can’t hold them back. They roll down his cheeks, unbidden. He is confused, painfully aroused, humiliated and powerless to stop what is happening. A tiny sob leaks from his throat.

“As for his coloring, it’s quite youthful and unusual as well, white with brown tips. His fur is plush and full, and will probably be even more luscious and shiny once properly groomed and cared for. While he is a smaller breed, we believe he is from Karou, which yields quite a few fighters, hence his compact muscular build and feisty attitude. He’d be an excellent addition to your household, or an exceptional first time companion for someone who can handle this temperament. We’d like to start bidding at ten. Do I have ten?”

Konoe’s jaw drops. Did he hear that correctly? This is an auction? He is being auctioned off?!

During the auction, every time a new bid is offered, the gray cat who is displaying him sneaks a small kiss on Konoe’s face or neck, and puts him in a new humiliating pose. He can feel the gray cat’s dick hardening through the front of his trousers, which the large cat makes no attempt to hide, and frequently rubs against Konoe’s naked body. Normally, such actions would disgust him, but now is causing his body to react in a totally surprising way—he gets even more worked up, painfully, sometimes even making strange utterances leak from his throat. The gray cat doesn’t hesitate to run his hands over Konoe’s body—making him feel violated, exposed and disgusting, but at the same time, he somehow relishes the attention and it feels good, which is terribly confusing, bringing more tears to his eyes.

_What is wrong with me? I hate this! Get me out of here! How long is this going to go on?_

He can’t see the crowd or the bidding parties, and at this point, he doesn’t care, though the gray cat whispers, “You are making us a pretty penny, young one! I made the right choice in having _you_ set the example. Your ass looks perfect decorated with these gorgeous stripes. Listen to them out there! Your selling price is gonna be as much as what we get for all the other kittens put together!”

 _What do they want me for? I can’t_ do _anything!_ Konoe thinks desperately.

Finally, the bidding cones to a close—“Going once! Going twice!”—he doesn’t hear the final bid, but the announcer and the gray cat are thrilled.

Konoe hears the announcer ask, “Good Sir, will you be sampling the merchandise here in our fine establishment, or taking him to go? ... To go? Of course, our pleasure! Let’s ready him for you.” The gray cat nips Konoe’s ear and whispers, “Let’s get you ready for your new master. He looks truly terrifying!”

Konoe is hoisted back up over the gray cat’s shoulder and leaves the stage.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the auction is ended, Konoe is prepped to meet his new owner.
> 
> Notes: Non-consensual touching and groping, effects of non-con drug and aphrodisiac use are prevalent in this chapter.

Preparing Konoe for his new master is a bit more of a chore than the gray cat originally anticipated, probably because of the additional dose of catnip wine he’d forced on the smaller cat. However, it also promises to be a pleasant experience for the gray cat, as he carries Konoe to the small prepping area.

“I’ll take care of this young one myself,” the gray cat announces. “This is the kitten who gave us such a hard time the first week, and I want to make sure he is appropriately clean and prepped for his new owner.”

He chases the other workers out of the tent and plops the young naked cat into a large tub of lukewarm water.

Konoe is shocked by the change in environment, still drugged out of his mind, and his head is submerged under water temporarily. _I’m going to drown! I’m going to drown before I get out of this place!_

He starts to struggle as hard as he can, but he can’t move his body. The gray cat lifts his head up out of the water and props his back against the side of the tub. Then, with what Konoe can only guess is a bar of soap, he is roughly scrubbed. Suddenly, Konoe’s palms begin to burn, as well as the soles of his feet, and he dreads having his tail and buttocks cleaned. He flinches when the gray cat roughly scrubs his feet, tears flowing down his cheeks. The gray cat says,

“I know, I know, this will probably burn. Those blisters aren’t looking so great. And I bet the soap hurts like a son of a bitch! Just hang on for a minute. We gotta get you clean for your new owner. He won’t want to deal with an infection before he even gets a chance to sample his wares!”

Konoe feels the gray cat’s hands moving roughly over the rest of his body—he is paralyzed, he still can’t move— _is it the wine? The drugs?_ Before he can think of anything else, he feels the gray cat grab his dick in the slick soapy water. He makes a sound Konoe doesn’t recognize as his own, but he can’t bite it back or hold it in.

“Thank gods I had the smarts to give you that extra dose of wine! No way you’d be looking like _this_ or sounding _so_ sweet right now if I hadn’t,” the gray cat mumbles.

He’s tugging roughly on Konoe’s dick, running his hands up and down, paying careful attention to the head, and Konoe, who thought he couldn’t move, feels his hips canting forward automatically, toward the gray cat who has caused him so much pain and humiliation this week.

 _Get away from me!_ His mind screams. “Uh, uh, uh—“ he hears strange utterances coming from his mouth _—why do I sound so fucking desperate? I hate this! I hate you! Get your hands off me!_

As he lifts his hips off the bottom of the water basin, the gray cat begins to soap up his balls, his ass--which burns like hell--the base of his tail and its entire length, which looks ridiculous wet. The fur is still stiff and bristled out, standing all on end. Konoe thinks he looks like a porcupine.

“Uh, uh, st-stop,” he tries, “ _Please_!”

The gray cat keeps up the work, as the soap runs across each blister of his ass, each mark on his tail, each one burning more than the last.

“Uh, uh, um.--” What _are these noises?_ “Please, _please_... “ Konoe pleads and begs.

The gray cat stops for a moment. He gently cups Konoe’s chin in his hand, tilts it up, and stares into Konoe’s eyes.

“You are so enchanting when you are broken and begging. I can hardly stand it. You, keep your voice down, so I don’t lose control. Someone is going to come in here. I don't want your new owner coming in here and finding me doing this to his property.”

He brings his face close, and ever so gently meets Konoe’s mouth with his lips. Konoe closes his mouth quickly, pressing his lips together. The gray cat licks Konoe’s lips anyway.

“You were so proud when you arrived. Acting like no one could break you. And yet—it only took one session with me to bring you, begging and pleading, to your knees. And let me tell you, your new owner—he has been coming here for months, looking for just the right... companion. And he paid good money for you. You have something he has been looking for, little one. You’d be smart not to displease him.”

Konoe flinches, blinking his eyes.

“Oh yes. He is a violent cat. I’ve heard he is a bounty hunter, and a mighty successful one at that, _especially_ with the kind of cash he dropped on your price. I knew his parents—they were also both successful hunters back in my village. But something isn’t right about that one. He enjoys his job just a _little_ too much. You be on your best behavior, you hear?”

Konoe’s bath is soon complete, and he is soaked to the bone and shivering. He is wrapped in a rough towel to help dry his fur and hair, but he is having trouble doing it himself.

The gray cat sighs.

“Let’s follow up with our signature service as well,” he grabs the towel from Konoe, leaving him naked again, and turns him around roughly. Konoe feels something slimy— _is it oil?_ —being applied to his shoulders, dripping down his back.

Konoe can feel large hands all over his shoulders and back, rubbing the oil into his body. The scent is heavenly—a natural, woodsy scent, not too strong or perfume-like, along with something else that he can’t quite identify.

“This may sting a little.” But when the large hands reach the blisters on his buttocks, Konoe flinches, and he can’t quite suppress a scream. _A little?? What the hell?_

He can hear the gray cat chuckling behind him, almost _enjoying_ his pain, making sure to cover every inch of him—invading the personal spaces no one has ever touched before. Konoe is roughly turned to face forward, and more oil is applied to his chest, and again, he feels strangely relaxed by the smell. The gray cat rubs it into the front of his shoulder, pulling out his arm out straight, moving his hands down his arms, and massaging it into the palm of his hand—more burning—but Konoe suppresses the scream this time, allowing only sobs to escape, and is able to manage the same when the process is repeated on his other side.

The larger cat sits down, pulling Konoe into his lap, facing out. He rubs oil into Konoe’s chest, then legs, and finally reaches his feet. They also burn—no sound comes from Konoe, but tears roll down his cheeks. Finally, the large cat takes a little extra time to rub extra into his hip bones.

This action pulls a sigh from Konoe’s mouth, much to his surprise. It sounds guttural and raw, and Konoe finds himself lifting himself off the larger cat’s lap, hoping for— _what? Do I want him to touch me?_ there _?! Ugh!_ Fighting his urges, he forces himself back down, but he can’t subdue the noises that are coming from him.

“This, kitten, is catnip oil. It will affect you by its smell, and as it absorbs through your skin, it will loosen your resistance. Consider it a s _pecial favor_ from me,” the gray cat says. “You’ll be glad you’ve had it applied, once you meet your new master.”

Konoe is barely able to turn his head, but he does and is appalled to see the hungry, lustful look in those green eyes.

“Now, let’s get you dressed. It’s up to your master when and where he wants to share you in all your glory, after all.”

A Yukata has been provided for him, with a simple yet elegant pattern of amber and honey shades. The gray cat drapes it over his shoulders, revealing plenty of Konoe’s chest, and ties it closed with a simple blue obi.

After dressing, and arranging Konoe on a futon with several sitting pillows, the gray cat pulls a comb through Konoe’s hair and runs a brush through his ears and his tail, which still burns. The finishing touch, Konoe can feel, is something pinned into his hair.

“Would you like a look? I've never even seen a female who compares to you,” says the gray cat, admiring his handiwork.

He holds up a mirror, and Konoe doesn’t recognize the cat staring back at him. He sees a delicate creature, collarbones protruding, hair combed neatly, with a tiny bunch of blue forget-me-nots pinned into his bangs, pulling them away from his forehead. This allows a full view of his large, round eyes, which look like golden honey, more than amber, in the current light. His pupils are very large as well.

His chest, once muscular, is slightly sunken, and he can see his ribs. But the robe flatters him, and he concedes he looks beautiful.

He doesn’t really think about it too much, however, because of the desperate feeling between his legs. It’s become overpowering and distracting. _What is this? What is wrong with me? Am I going to be sick?_  

Soon, however, he hears a low, rather husky voice at the outside of the tent.

“Is he finished? I’m ready to take my leave.”

The voice is musical, surprisingly deep, and sexy— _Wait a minute. Sexy? Where did that come from?_

“Please, Sir. Realize he may not be able to travel far on his own this evening. He’s had some wine, and we keep them... subdued while they are here. We have provided you with more of both substances for your trip if it will make it more comfortable.”

A grunt is heard—and even that utterance makes something between Konoe’s legs twitch. He can hear his heart beating loudly in his ears again, and he feels slightly afraid.

The curtain is roughly pulled to the side, and Konoe glances up from where he is seated among the pillows.

Two sharp intakes of breath—simultaneously—but _whose was whose? Mine... and was that his?_

Konoe does his best to focus his eyes. He sees yet another large breed standing before him. This cat, however, is more slender than the gray one, and much younger. Yet on second glance— _slender is not the right word. Muscular._ This cat is made of muscle.

And he is blindingly silver.

His hair is long and straight, nearly to his waist, _shining like silver, like a god,_ it seems to Konoe. He has small, rounded ears at the top of his head, different from Konoe’s own. And that tail—he’s never seen a tail like this. It’s long, full, and bushy, and shining like the moon of shadow. _It’s mesmerizing, the way it’s swaying back and forth in the evening glow._

The cat’s face—“uh”—Konoe is afraid another strange noise may have escaped his lips—he is missing an eye. Or at least, he is wearing an eye patch. But the uncovered eye is beautiful, pale blue, clear and sharp, and it misses nothing. His face is perfect: sculpted cheekbones, defined chin, pale skin, full lips— _those full lips—I can imagine those lips kissing me_ —and Konoe, a blush rising to his cheeks, can see sharp fangs peeking through that mouth, which is slightly open.

 _Is he surprised? Disappointed? Do I please him?_ Konoe feels that eye examining him, looking him up and down, and he feels anxiety breaking through the layers of hazy fog in his brain.

Taking the cue, and as subtly as he can, he allows his eyes to wander down that amazingly tall and lean body—muscular, wearing skin-tight blue and black clothing made for fighting, topped off with a black cape with three buckles around his neck—though only one is fastened. His chest isn’t slender at all—and he can see the defined muscles in his abdomen through his clothing, again, Konoe feels himself blushing because he doesn’t know why he’s looking. Black gauntlets cover his wrists, and Konoe notices two sword belts hung low about his shapely hips.

Dropping his eyes lower, he can’t take his eyes away from this cat’s slim fitting trousers. _Also in black and blue, they fit like tights, leaving nothing to the imagination—uh, why am I looking there? Don’t let him catch you looking at that! Why am I even thinking about that?_ —momentarily forgetting about the drugs. He can see the muscle definition of his legs, hell, even his calf muscles are perfectly formed.

Suddenly, a logical part of Konoe’s brain fires. _Why is a specimen like this in the need of a slave? He could have any cat he desired!_

But just as quickly, the thought disappears... partly due to the small drop of drool that drops onto Konoe’s hand, startling him, from his open mouth.

Instantly, he drops his gaze, ashamed.

 _Am I afraid?_ Konoe asks himself. _I don’t feel afraid. I should feel afraid. But I don’t. I feel... attraction. Wha??_ Fear and alarm come over the smaller cat in an instant, again for a moment.

The tent has been quiet for a few moments until the gray cat speaks up. “So, sir, are you satisfied with your new acquisition?”

While walking around the futon, the silver-haired cat continues to inspect Konoe, who keeps his gaze dropped to the floor.

“He cleans up quite nicely, doesn’t he.” Definitely not a question, but a statement.

“He is a stunning specimen, very unusual. We are glad to have helped you find a... companion, sir. We know you’ve been visiting our establishment for some time. I actually thought of you when we first came across this kitten.”

“Hmmpf,” an arrogant sound comes from behind Konoe’s back.

Suddenly, Konoe feels soft fingers on his ears. It’s a surprisingly gentle touch, but he jumps because he wasn’t expecting it.

“These are even softer than they look,” that voice is even closer than expected—Konoe doesn’t dare turn his head.

“Indeed they are,” agrees the gray cat. “Sir, I should let you know that the little one is on a double-dose of wine as well as our regular cocktail at the moment.”

“Ho?” That deep voice makes Konoe feel like melting. _It’s gotta be the drugs! It’s gotta be the drugs!_

“When he first arrived, he refused to eat or drink, guessing that’s how we were dosing them. As I’m sure you’ll see for yourself, we had to make an example of him, and he is still healing. However, he responds very well to physical punishment, but he has a stubborn streak in him. Nothing that an experienced hunter like you wouldn’t be able to handle, of course.”

Konoe feels soft fingers touching his ears, and suddenly, something damp touches the outside of one of them. Confused as to what to do, he leans in toward the touch— _it’s gotta be the drugs!_

“I’m sure he won’t give me any trouble,” he hears a soft, deep voice, right next to his ear, close enough to move his fur. Adding in a whisper, “Isn’t that right.” Also not a question, but a statement of fact.

Konoe is quite distracted, his heartbeat thumping loudly in his ears, his body acting on its own. Vacantly, he wonders if the silver cat might be able to hear his heartbeat, too. Then he thinks he hears the gray cat going on.

“... So like I said, he may not be able to keep up with your travels at first. We can recommend several inns close by, most with private cabins, in case discipline is necessary, which you may wish to start early....”

Every so often, his ears are tickled by an occasional “hmm” or “ummm,” as a response to the gray cat’s advice. Perhaps it isn't exactly a tickle—it’s warmer than that, something he can’t quite describe but makes him shiver and his fur stand on end.

Finally, the gray cat hands a small pouch to the silver-haired cat, who has stood up, much to Konoe’s disappointment. “We sincerely thank you for your business. Please let us know if we can help you in the future.”

The silver-haired cat, standing in front of Konoe, removes his black cape and wraps it around the smaller cat. While fastening the top buckle around Konoe’s neck, Konoe meets his cool blue eye, surprised to see his face so close to his own. The cape smells so good—the weight of it, the feel of it, the smell of it...

“We can’t have you catching a cold out there on our first day of traveling. We’ve got a long way to go, after all.” The low voice speaks very softly, as though comforting a wild animal.

Konoe tries not to flinch but doesn’t quite succeed, as his new owner’s hand comes down to his face, brushing some of his hair off to the side. The blue eye widens a tiny bit at the flinch. _Did I make him angry?_

“Are you ready, little one?” Konoe nods, obediently, trying his best to please, but his eyes and mind are full of haze.

Losing his orientation for a moment, he feels like he is floating. He realizes his new owner has picked him up bridal style and is holding him close in his arms. “I can smell you better this way,” the full lips nuzzle Konoe’s ear, and the low whisper tickles, making him twitch.

He leans into that chest, which is strong, warm and unyielding, realizing he can hear a slow and steady heartbeat. It’s relaxing and calming, and it strangely feels safe—safer than he has felt since his capture—and he is able to ignore the quiet alarm in the back of his mind, screaming, _he’s your owner! He purchased you! You’re his property!_

Just for a little while, he closes his eyes.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Konoe and his new owner set off through the forest for their first destination, an inn in the middle of the forest. Introductions are made.

_Ah_ , Konoe sighs against the warm chest of his new owner. _His eye may be pale and cold in color, but I’ve never felt more warm and comfortable than I do right now._

He toys with the idea of a quick nap, closing his eyes, letting the long strides of this silver-haired mystery man lull him to sleep. _I haven’t slept well since I was captured. It can’t hurt to sleep just a little bit_.

The anxiety of not knowing what was ahead of him, not knowing anything about this silver cat— _except that he’s a dangerous, deadly bounty hunter who enjoys his job a little too much, according to that sadistic gray cat_ —was overruled by his physical exhaustion and the drugs coursing through his system. Those drugs were potent enough to silence his alarms, his overactive imagination, and his usually tense, neurotic self.

While snuggled up in those arms, however, Konoe found he couldn’t sleep. He was warm and relaxed, tired out from his exhausting day— _who wouldn’t be, after being auctioned off in front of a crowd like that?_ —but sleep will not come. His body seems to have other plans.

The pace of travel is leisurely, as far as Konoe can tell. He feels the fresh, cool evening air on his face, while his body is cuddled up cozily. They seem to be walking through a dense forest, and it’s very dark, with pale light from the moon of shadow breaking through the trees above. Occasionally, he can feel his new owner’s face, reaching close to the top of his head—he can hear a sharp intake of breath— _is he smelling me?_ —or murmuring something close to his ears, something that sounds like, “Just relax. You’re safe now.”

Then suddenly, he feels a warm, damp sensation on the outside of his ear—it’s a tongue, much rougher than his own—followed by a low murmur, “I just can’t help myself. You smell so good, and your ears are too soft to resist.”

He feels himself squirm when he is licked, but it isn’t an unpleasant sensation, nor is it unwelcome. Far from it, in fact—Konoe finds himself leaning into it, slightly to his surprise (way back there in the back of his mind, he knows this isn’t his usual reaction). He also hears a small mewling sound, almost like a pleading noise, leaking from his throat, while he tucks his face more closely into the warm arms carrying him. He’d usually be embarrassed by making such a piteous and pleading noise—i _t sounds almost desperate_ —but his mind is too hazy to care.

But the pace never slows, nor hesitates. Each time he is licked, or his ears murmured against, he responds in a similar fashion, and he can feel something pressing against his hip, something large and hard. He thinks he ought to know what it is, but he just can’t place it. For now, he’s just enjoying the pleasant feelings in his body.

He hears a gentle stream joining them in the quiet soundscape—the wonderful sound of trickling water—as they walk—and Konoe’s thirst grows exponentially. He becomes fearful of displeasing his new owner—he doesn’t even know what he should call this cat—but the more he hears the water, the more Konoe desires moisture on his tongue.

His thoughts aren’t working right, but he knows if he angers this person, he risks punishment. Yet his thirst is overwhelming, and the sound of the fresh stream so clear, it’s almost musical. He can almost smell the fresh water, at this point. Eventually, his thirst wins out, and he shifts around in discomfort.

“What is it, little one?” comes the deep-voiced murmur, right into his ear. “You’ve suddenly become so restless. We will be arriving shortly, but if I can ease your discomfort temporarily, tell me.”

Konoe dares to raise his face and meets his master’s eye. Clear and blue, it seems earnest— _not unyielding, glassy and hard, like the gray cat’s_ , Konoe recalls. _And his face is so beautiful in the moonlight. The pale light has softened the chiseled features._ When their eyes meet, his master comes to a halt.

Konoe opens his mouth, and very timidly asks, “M-may I have a drink of water from the stream? I am very thirsty. Please, if it’s not too much t-trouble, and I will be quick.”

The silver-haired cat gently places Konoe on the grass, on the soft bank next to the water, and Konoe is delighted. He immediately leans down, dipping his face into the stream, lapping up the cold, fresh water contentedly.

“Not too much at once, little one,” commands his owner, gently. “I don’t want you to become ill if you haven’t had anything for a while.”

“Ah,” replies Konoe. “Uh, umm, mmm.” Indecipherable utterances are the only sounds available to him.

After a short pause, his owner asks, “What do they call you?”

Surprised by the question, Konoe meets his gaze again. The lean muscular body is leaning against a tree, silver strands shimmering in the pale moonlight, blue eye watching him carefully.

“Konoe.”

“Konoe.” His owner tries it out in his mouth, and the way he says the name makes Konoe’s heart flutter and weak in the knees. _Good thing I’m already lying on the ground_. “Konoe-Kun, I am Rai.”

Of course, he is. Rai. It’s an elegant, simple name. _Now this beautiful silver-haired giant has a name._

“They’ve really dosed you up with some stuff. I’ll make you feel better once we get to where we are staying tonight,” Rai states confidently. “Although... I can’t say I’m sorry for it.”

“S-sorry for it?” Konoe repeats.

“For the drugs. They’ve given you catnip, and I think you may have been bathed in it as well—at least, the scent is covering you. A high quality, highly potent catnip, from what I can tell.” Rai’s lips curve up a little at the corners.

“Oh.” When that silver-haired cat— _no, Rai_ —when Rai smiles, he truly looks divine, like a heavenly being.

“Have you had enough water, Konoe-Kun? I’ll make sure you receive more sustenance later this evening as well.”

“Y-yes, “ Konoe stutters weakly.

With that, Rai takes two large strides toward Konoe, and scoops him back up into his arms, as if he were as light as a feather.

Pressing his face into Rai’s chest shyly, Konoe speaks again. “Thank you, Rai-Sama.”

Konoe can feel the smile on Rai’s lips when his ear is gently kissed. The kiss sends shocks through his body, running straight to his groin. Konoe lets a tiny gasp escape.

“Let’s go, then. Almost there.”

And within a few minutes—well, it might have been ten minutes—they arrive at what looks like an inn, strangely located in the middle of the forest. The main structure is fairly small, but there are many individual bungalows surrounding the property.

Rai pushes open the door of the main structure and gently sets Konoe down on a bench in the waiting area. There, he waits quietly, watching Rai sign in and collect a key from the receptionist. Soon, he is back at Konoe’s side.

“I don’t suppose you can walk yet.” It’s a neutral statement, but it makes Konoe try to stand up. He collapses immediately, falling into Rai’s arms.

“Ho? They said you were a little stubborn, but I didn’t mean to push you.” His voice sounds almost teasing. “I’ll need my other hand now, so pardon me in advance. It can’t be helped.”

With that, Rai picks up Konoe like he would a sack of flour, hoisted over his shoulder, and walks out of the reception area. A shocked sound escapes Konoe’s mouth again, and he flushes pink—he feels embarrassed in front of the receptionist.

“Tch, don’t worry about it,” Rai clicks his tongue. “I’m sure he's seen much worse.” Rai playfully pats Konoe‘s perky behind as he heads out the door, turning Konoe a deeper shade of pink. He walks to a bungalow out back and opens the room with the key.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rai and Konoe have arrived at the inn, and are in their private suite. This chapter describes their first sexual encounter.
> 
> Notes: after effects of non-drug use is referred to in this chapter, and frankly, non-con sex due to said drugs.

The bungalow, Konoe notices, is a little larger than his home in Karou, as much as he can see. He hears a rapid, loud pounding in his ears— _is that my heartbeat?? Shit, can Rai hear it?_

Once inside, Rai puts him down gently on the bed, which is quite large—large enough to accommodate at least one, perhaps even two, cats of Rai’s stature. Konoe’s body is not responding to his will, so he is currently propped up against the pillows, looking around the room, moving only his eyes.

With a start, he notices there is only one bed in the room. Two feelings come over him simultaneously: first, anxiety. Enough anxiety that his entire body starts to sweat. _Where am I going to sleep? Certainly, he isn’t intending to share the bed with me?_ Second, something else— _it feels like thirst—but not for water. What is wrong with me?_ Konoe looks down to his hands, which he thought he managed to get under control, and notices them trembling. Embarrassed, he plants them firmly on either side of his body, hiding them from view. He takes a few relaxing breaths to calm himself.

Rai has removed his equipment. Konoe notices both a dagger, as big as the sword Konoe used to carry and a huge longsword. He carefully hangs the belts on the rack next to the door. Next, he moves to the fireplace.

Konoe is afraid of fire—he has _always_ been afraid of fire—and he assumes that this must be the cause of his current anxiety. He doesn’t like to admit his fear since he knows it’s unfounded. Plus, watching Rai skillfully bring the fire up to a warm blaze is having an unexpected effect on his body— _watching him stoke the flame is strangely attractive_ —which he also can’t explain.

He continues slow, deep breathing, realizing that the sweat has activated the oil the gray cat rubbed into his skin earlier. Humiliation washes over him once again. He feels shame remembering the auction—he can still hear the raucous noise of the crowd, even over the pounding of his heart—and he feels his body flush. The smell of the oil has reached his nose, however, and has a pleasant relaxing effect. So he tries to stretch out on the bed, realizing he hasn’t been able to have a good stretch since his capture.

The sheets feel cool against his skin, and the pillows are soft as he lies back against them, but Konoe can’t take his eyes off Rai. _I’m afraid of the fire,_ he thinks. _I’m just being cautious. Yet... it doesn’t feel at all like caution._

The small space begins to warm up as the blaze heightens, and it provides gentle light to the room. Rai returns to his equipment—he also has been carrying a pack with him, which Konoe hadn’t noticed before. _He was carrying me and all his stuff for all that while. It must have been an hour or more. He must really be strong!_

As Rai is digging around in his pack, pulling out a few items Konoe identifies as food—nuts and fruits—and setting them on the table, he suddenly glances up at Konoe. When he meets Konoe’s gaze, the pounding in Konoe’s ears stops for an instant, and Konoe hears a small noise, a mix between a purr and a mewling sound, from his own throat.

The scent of that body oil has become quite strong, Konoe realizes, and he wonders if Rai has noticed. Searching his face, he can see Rai’s nose twitch a tiny bit, and his ears perk up in Konoe’s direction. The blaze in the hearth brings out his chiseled features, and Konoe realizes that his lips look extra soft. _In fact, they **are** soft. His tongue is rougher than mine; I know because he licked my ears earlier. I wonder if his tongue has to be rough to groom his long fur? What would it feel like if he were to groom me? _ Konoe unconsciously turns his body toward Rai, lying on his side, remembering the feel of Rai’s tongue against his ears. It felt so warm, like home, but something more...

Also, his ears are rounded and smaller than Konoe’s. They look almost... _cute? Can anything on this giant silver cat even be called cute? I wonder if they are soft, like the fur on my ears._ He imagines what they might feel like in his own mouth, not realizing that his tongue is peeping through his mouth.

Konoe glances from Rai’s ears back to his eye and notices that Rai is not looking at his face. _He seems to be looking at my body,_ Konoe thinks, hazily. Konoe follows Rai’s gaze and notices with embarrassment that Rai is watching Konoe’s hand, which is meandering down his side, toward his hip.

“Ah!” An utterance intended to communicate surprise falls from Konoe’s lips, but it doesn’t _sound_ like surprise. It’s that same guttural, raw noise the gray cat managed to pull out of him when while applying the oil. “Uh,” he tries again, unsuccessfully, and now embarrassed. _What is wrong with me? What the hell am I doing?_

Konoe can’t stop his mouth from making weird sounds, and he cannot control his hands. _Shut up, shut up! You’re making a fool of yourself! Who knows what he wants from you, and here you are, making these... sounds like some kind of animal._

 _Wait_ , his thoughts interrupt themselves. _I **am** an animal. I’m a cat._ He finds the thought amusing, and the amusement immediately overtakes his embarrassment. Something like a giggle sneaks out of him, and it just can’t be helped.

Rai has stopped preparing food, stands up from the bench—Konoe jumps when he hears the sound of the bench falling to the floor—and in two short strides, crosses the room to the bed. _That bench is sized for me, not for someone as tall as him—and the thought is funny! No wonder he looked so strange, sitting on that bench, his knees touching the small table. I wonder what he’d look like at my house! He is too tall to fit through the door, and he would take up all the floor space. He certainly wouldn’t fit in my bed!_ Konoe’s mind continues to race, eyes closed, the amusement building up in his chest.

Konoe looks up, startled to see Rai so close. But he remembers how warm this cat felt when he was being carried here. Konoe’s eyes close halfway as he meets Rai’s gaze, and he’s surprised to see a gentle smile on his face. He hears himself giggle again.

“Are you having a hard time, little one?” Rai’s deep voice sounds like honey to Konoe’s ears. _The way he is smiling is just so... what? what is it? It’s so out of place, it’s definitely **not** funny! _ Another giggle, this one laced with a little anxiety.

“You’re probably experiencing the effects of the catnip right now. I can smell it, too.”

“Hmm.” Konoe’s entire body feels pulled toward Rai, who is now seated on the bed next to him. He finds that his body—the body he couldn’t control just seconds earlier—is now curling itself around this large, silver cat. Konoe doesn’t notice he has left most of his Yukata in the middle of the bed, slipping out of the arms, in order to snuggle closer to Rai.

“They said you haven’t had any... experience. Is that true?” He hears the deep voice again, and large fingers gently brush through his hair.

“Hmm,” Konoe murmurs. “Experience?” The way his body is behaving is confusing him, but he can’t help himself. He giggles again, trying to suppress the sound by leaning his face against Rai’s leg.

A slight pause. “I can make it better.”

“Better?” _What does he mean? Make what better? I’m feeling pretty good right now_.

Another pause, before the low voice, huskier this time, responds again. “Like this?”

With those words, Konoe feels nimble fingers moving down his spine to the base of his tail, where he grabs rather firmly. Waves of shock and pleasure radiate from the base of his tail—out to the very tip, making its fur stand on end, and also sending blood rushing into his hips.

“Ugh, um,” sighs Konoe, pressing his face into Rai’s thigh again and closing his eyes.

“I was going to get you something to eat first, but it looks like you can’t wait.” The tone of Rai’s voice has softened slightly, and the next phrase sounds huskier. “I don’t think I want to, either.”

Konoe opens his eyes and finds Rai’s face directly in front of him. “I don’t think I **could** wait, what with you rolling around on the bed like this.”

With those words, Konoe feels Rai’s lips on his mouth, demanding and strong. _His lips feel so soft—even when they are demanding like this,_ Konoe’s thoughts continue to wander.

He feels Rai’s hand on his jaws.

“Open your mouth.” Not a request. Konoe feels a little shiver at Rai’s command, and pleasure surges through him. But he’s not sure what to do, so he relaxes his jaw a little bit, timidly allowing Rai’s tongue entrance.

“Hmmpf,” Konoe hears noise he can only assume is his. “Hmm, umm, umpf...” The feel of Rai’s tongue against his feels like the rest of his body looks—all muscle, lean, strong, larger than his own. _I love the way it fills up my mouth. And he tastes sweet, reminds me of honey..._

The deep kisses continue, taking Konoe’s breath away— _I feel like I’m going to pass out_ —and before he realizes it, Rai has stretched his body out on top of Konoe’s, in the center of the bed.

Konoe feels silky smooth hair running through his fingers. Surprised, he realizes his hands have reached into Rai’s hair, and are combing through the silvery strands. They look golden in the firelight.

Rai breaks the kiss, and licks Konoe’s jaw and moves downwards, landing kisses along his neck— _that tickles!_ And Konoe has to suppress another giggle. When Rai reaches his collarbone, Konoe feels a sharp pain— “Ack!”—a noise he can’t suppress comes out—and he realizes he’s been lightly bitten. His hands close around the silky strands of hair, and he stiffens his body. Rai follows up the bite with a kiss, and moves his lips along the protruding bone, almost out to his shoulder, leaving bites and kisses in his wake. Konoe knows he should be embarrassed by the sounds he is making, but he can’t silence himself.

He can feel hands on his chest—large hands, calloused from sword fighting—wrapping around his body like a blanket, stopping at the sensitive area around his nipples. Lowering his head, Rai pulls a nipple into his mouth, firmly, using just a bit of teeth—and flames ignite in Konoe’s lower half, such as he has never experienced.

“Ah, hah, ha!” The noises sound raw, almost lewd. He knows he should tell Rai to stop, but he can’t. He isn’t sure he wants to, even.

He notices Rai’s rounded ears are within reach, so he lifts up his own head, and sucks an ear into his mouth, using the same amount of teeth and pressure he’s feeling on his nipple.

“Hmmm, mmm, rrrgh.” He murmurs into the soft white fur— _it’s definitely as soft as it looks, like his silvery hair_ —and he pulls Rai’s head into a warm embrace. He feels Rai’s body stiffen against him slightly, and a short sigh— _ha, that one wasn’t mine!_ —comes from his chest.

Rai pulls his head away, to meet Konoe’s eyes again, and Konoe is surprised to see a slight flush on Rai’s cheeks, and an undeniable heat in that cool blue eye. For a moment, an intimidating fear runs through Konoe’s body—from the tips of his ears to the tip of his tail—almost like cool water. _What am I doing? What’s happening here?_

In spite of his feelings, he matches Rai’s gaze boldly—well, as boldly as his hazy eyes can. Peering into his face, it doesn’t look like Rai wants to hurt him, exactly, but there’s a certain... hunger in that look that Konoe can’t quite identify.

“What.” Again, not really a question. Konoe doesn’t know if he should respond.

Rai’s hands stop moving against his chest for a moment and move to Konoe’s chin. Rai gently tilts Konoe’s face toward him and caresses his ears with the other hand.

“What is it.” The same not-question phrasing. “Are you afraid?” There’s a slight pause.

“Mm.” Konoe is suddenly aware that he is indeed afraid.

“Hm.” Another quiet and neutral statement from the large cat. “I’m not going to tell you there’s nothing to be afraid of. I’m much more experienced in battle than I am in... this kind of situation.”

“This kind of situation?” Konoe asks, confusion washing over his fear, mixing with general anxiety.

“Mm,” a grumbling purr assents. Rai pecks at Konoe’s lips again. When his lips come back a second time, Konoe feels that rough tongue gently exploring his mouth again. The anxious feelings are still there, but now he feels tightness in his chest, and his lower body draws magnetically toward the beautiful cat taking his lips. Konoe’s eyelids drift closed, and he feels himself purring.

“I like to hear your purr,” comes the quiet voice, almost from within his mouth. The hands have wandered from his chin and ears down his back toward his hips. He feels deft fingers untying his obi, and sees it discarded on the floor beside the bed.

Konoe’s ears perk up when one of Rai’s hands reach the base of his tail—skin to skin contact now—sending a true shudder up his spine. The lewd noises sound even more desperate and breathy, and now that Konoe is also purring loudly, they vibrate—“mrrrreooww”—like some strange animal, perhaps long extinct, of centuries past.

Konoe can feel teeth against his lips and tongue— _Rai is smiling—I want to see his smile!_ As he tries to pull away to take a peek, Rai’s body holds him in place, pinning down his small body against the bed. Instead, Konoe settles for running his tongue along the teeth, and along the upward curve of Rai’s lips.

“You want to get away from me,” comes another statement, spoken half into his mouth, half as Rai pulls away for a breath. “I don’t think so. We are just getting started here.”

Konoe feels that large hand brushing against his abdomen. He anticipates it tickling, and his body curves away just slightly at the touch, but his body isn’t responding normally. He also feels something soft— _no, not soft, really plush—_ brushing against his calf, moving up past his knee and teasing his thigh. _That must be his tail_ , he thinks, stretching his arm out behind Rai, trying to touch the long soft fur.

By the time his hand makes contact with that tail, however, Konoe realizes the plush fur is ever so gently brushing on the insides of both thighs, which draws sweet purring sounds from his throat into Rai’s mouth during their next deep kiss.

_Wait. Wait a second._

Time stops for a moment. All at once, Konoe realizes he is naked, and he isn’t even aware of how he’s lost his clothing. The cold rush of fear threatens to rush over him again—he can feel creeping up his spine—until he feels a warm hand, palming his naked groin.

“Oooh, uh, ahh...”

Uncontrollably loud sounds leak from his throat now, and he is too overwhelmed by the touch to feel shame. Another hand pulls both firmly and gently at the base of his tail, which is causing his body to tremble beneath Rai’s larger form. Rai has moved from kissing his mouth to his ear, licking the downy fur inside, and the soft squelching sounds overpower the loud beating of his heart.

“Oh shit.” The exclamation is low, almost a hiss, right in Konoe’s ear, just before the entire ear is sucked up into a mouth. He can feel that rough tongue, and sharp canines catching slightly as his ear is ever so slowly pulled back out again.

Just when Konoe feels he can’t take being caressed all over like this—a mouth, two hands, a tail, and the weight of Rai’s body—it’s too much stimulation—Rai starts to stroke his stiff cock firmly, using the clear liquid from the tip to smooth out his caress. No one has ever touched him like this before, and it’s a powerful feeling—building in the pit of his stomach, stimulating his hips even more.

The wet sounds in his ear bring him even more pleasure—even close to pain, in fact—and Konoe has to tilt his head away from Rai’s mouth for a reprieve. He has never heard a purr that sounds lewd, but sure enough, that is the sound coming from his own body.

Rai shifts slightly, moving Konoe onto his side, and pulls the tip of his tail—just the hooked part—to his mouth. Along with the warm, rough texture of tongue, Konoe feels electric shocks pulsing down the length of his tail, and he responds with another vocal shudder.

“You can feel the hooked part!” An astonished tone comes from Rai, who is still providing more than enough stimulation to Konoe’s cock and the base of his tail.

“Uh, yes-ssss,” a short hiss comes out, on top of the purr.

“Ho? So sensitive...” he can hear a teasing smile in Rai’s voice. But Konoe is so overwhelmed with touch, he doesn’t know what to do, where to put his hands, what to do with his body, and his body feels it is melting into the sheets.

“Urrrrgh, eh, mmm, eh, mmm, mm-maybe stop? Urrgh, too m-mmm-much,” Konoe moans.

“Yeah, no.” Rather firmly, but nearly a whisper. “You’d be miserable, I’d be miserable, we’d both be a miserable pair. _Not_ gonna happen.” With this statement, a second hand caresses Konoe’s ass, brushing over the blisters.

Suddenly, all stimulation stops.

“What is this,” Rai asks, real concern in his voice. “Does this hurt you?” And it’s a real question this time.

Konoe is not ready for the stimulation to stop—Rai was right, he does feel miserable—but he doesn’t know what to say. He certainly isn’t going to _ask_ for those overwhelming caresses to continue. _I’m not that kind of cat,_ suddenly realizing what they’ve been doing this whole time. Konoe responds, “N-no. No, not if you’re gentle. It’s fine.”

“They used a cane on you.” The gentle fingers continue exploring on his buttocks, but it isn’t enough stimulation for Konoe. _It’s not enough!_

 _I’m_ not _going to ask for it. I’m not that kind of cat!_ He insists to himself. But his body simply melts into Rai’s arms, demandingly.

“Urrgh.” It’s half purr, half sigh, indicating defeat, that his body is betraying his will. Konoe watches as his own tail traitorously wraps itself around Rai’s arm.

“I’ll try to be gentle tonight,” Rai is licking his ears again.

“Gentle?” _Wait, was_ caning _on the menu?_ Konoe’s ears flatten slightly in fear, purr catching in his throat, and his body stiffens briefly—though not enough to move away from Rai.

“It’s ok. Don’t worry.” Konoe allows the grooming on his ears to continue. As he feels Rai’s hands begin to stroke his shaft once again, his loud lewd purr coming to life again.

Another alarm goes off in the back of Konoe’s mind when he feels slight pressure below the base of his tail.

“Ummpf, ah, w-what are you d—?” His question is covered up with Rai’s mouth. Rai strokes his shaft just a little harder while invading his mouth with his tongue, and his finger gains entrance.

Instead of the pain Konoe is expecting, however, he feels a strange sensation, similar to what he feels when Rai demandingly takes his mouth. It’s pleasure, in fact, as the finger hooks slightly, exploring his insides. Certainly, no one has ever touched him like this, and he didn’t know his body could respond in this way.

“The catnip should help,” assures a low voice. “Just relax. You’ll feel much better soon.”

But Konoe isn’t, in fact, feeling better. He felt better carried in Rai’s arms. Now, he feels something akin to an itch in his lower body, combined with growing heat, and he is baffled by these sensations—especially when Rai adds another finger to the mix, scissoring him open. His hips move on their own, following the direction of Rai’s fingers. Konoe’s tail is undulating wildly—the tip free, since Rai’s mouth is otherwise occupied.

 _Is that a third finger?_ But only for a few moments, because Rai breaks their deep kissing again, finally allowing Konoe to inhale deeply. He can smell the oil on his skin, mixed with a different scent— _is this Rai's scent?_

Konoe watches his hands reach towards Rai’s shirt and fumble with the buttons on them. Rai’s eye watches him struggle, and Konoe’s hands looks strange—the fingers are too long, the hands are the wrong shape—they don’t look like his hands nor behave like his hands, and— _oh my gods, what am I doing??_ —he opens Rai’s shirt to reveal a muscular chest.

Another sigh escapes, and Rai says, teasingly, “I’m impressed you were able to get those buttons undone by yourself in your condition.”

Konoe snaps his eyes up to Rai’s face and tries his best to suppress the urge to bite the tip of that elegant nose—only he is too late. He didn’t mean to, really—his mouth just snapped on its own, and Rai jumps in surprise when Konoe’s fangs touch the delicate skin.

Konoe doesn’t realize what he’s done at first—he thinks he’s maybe just imagined the satisfaction of having bitten that nose. In seconds, a fierce growl sounds— _oh my gods! I shouldn’t have bitten him! What the hell was I thinking?_ —when he finds himself turned over roughly, face down, among the pillows. Rai has moved a pillow beneath his hips, raising his ass in the air.

A feeling of dread comes over him, when he realizes what he’s done, and when he hears Rai growling behind him in his ear. Konoe’s ears are flattened against his head, and he’s genuinely afraid. He feels Rai’s hands grab onto his hips, roughly, as he’s pulled up and back, on all fours. He feels something much larger and much hotter than fingers at his entrance now, and he stiffens.

Rai bites Konoe’s ear, lightly— _well, probably as hard as I bit his nose_ —and he can feel Rai’s naked chest against his back. The skin to skin contact is doing something strange to his body. He can feel a fast heartbeat pounding against his back—even though Konoe is afraid, his dick is still leaking onto the sheets.

Konoe tries to lower his tail, but it’s swiftly moved and bitten—hard—which pulls a yelp from Konoe.

“Relax," comes the command, whispered directly into his ear. The commanding voice also has the same effect, drawing Konoe’s body toward that hot heat at his rear, rather than shying away from it.

Konoe stiffens a little more and cries out when Rai begins to enter him. It isn’t so much pain as it is insufferably tight and foreign.

“Relax.” The voice is softer now, though still commanding, but filled with lust and fire. _Is he feeling this for me? For my body?_ The thought paralyzes Konoe for a moment, which allows Rai to advance a bit more inside of his body.

He feels a hand and that soft bushy tail brushing on the front of his thighs, the hand reaches around to the front, cupping his cock and stroking him again, hard.

“Ah!” The feeling of taking this silver cat into his body and being stroked at the same time—it’s indescribable. The hand takes the head of his dick into its fingers and crushes it ever so gently, exploring the slit, feeling the drops of fluid that are released in pleasure. These actions pull additional lewd noises from Konoe's throat, noises he doesn't recognize as his own, and Rai sighs when he hears them.

Konoe can feel Rai’s muscular thighs against his hips, and that long, lean torso hanging over his back, leaving strands of silver in view. Konoe can smell Rai’s scent in full force now, even over the scented body oil. He hears a soft satisfied sigh right into his ears, which he finds irresistible. He must be completely buried inside up to the hilt since Konoe can feel his balls against the outside of his ass.

Rai allows Konoe’s body a moment to adjust before he starts moving. The air is squeezed out of Konoe’s lungs with each thrust, which starts gently, but strange purring sounds are heard as the thrusting becomes deeper. He can hear moist, lewd noises fill up the room, which is oddly arousing.

“Hah! Huh! Urrgh!” Konoe finds himself panting, breathless with every tingling thrust. At one point, when Rai thrusts upwards, he is shocked when he sees stars. The pleasure that comes over him is terrifying, almost nauseating, like looking over the edge of a cliff.

“No!” He shouts a refusal. “Stop! Ah! No! N—not! Ah! There!”

Rai doesn’t stop or even slow. He feels Rai’s fist close around his dick firmly, which brings the strange sinking feeling in his stomach to even higher arousal, quickly approaching his limit.

“Ah! I c-c-ah! Can’t! Ah! Umph!”

Konoe is probably shouting, but his words are hard to understand. His purring overlaps his voice, and his breath is taken away with each thrust. Rai seems to be doing this on purpose, applying more pressure to that sensitive spot.

The pleasure in his body swirls around in his groin, hips, and stomach, and seeks and finds release. He sees white— _no, not white, it’s silver—like Rai’s hair_ —even when he closes his eyes, and his tail bristles up fully and stands on end.

“Aaaahh, haaaahh!” Konoe comes with a shout, releasing his seed all over Rai’s fist—while he feels his body clenching around Rai inside of him.

He hears a stuttering sound—raw and sexual—in his ears at the same time, and after a few more hard thrusts, Konoe feels his insides fill with warm fluid. Konoe collapses on the bed, feeling Rai spasming inside of him, and a soft, low purr against his back.

“Ah,” another strange sound ejects from Konoe’s lips when Rai pulls out. He can feel the larger cat curl his lean body behind him, wrap him close in his arms, and turn gently to the side. The only sound in the room is Konoe’s breathing and the two cats purring contently.

A feeling of complete relaxation takes over Konoe’s body, and he melts into the arms behind him. He can feel Rai’s chest move up and down as he breathes, and his anxiety has been soothed by their coupling. He feels Rai leisurely grooming his ears, and Konoe allows his eyes to close, drifting off into a satisfied slumber.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The next morning, drugs have worn off, Konoe wakes up and has breakfast with Rai. A few awkward moments. They are off to fulfill some regulations on the companion trade.

Konoe allows himself to relax slightly around his new owner after their first interaction. He’s pushed his function as a slave to the back of his mind and is now only thinking of the present moment.

If he’s honest, he finds Rai captivating: his stature is majestic—he’s tall, muscular, and lean. His pale skin—nearly white—is flawless, though Konoe has seen a few scars, probably from battles. His hair is one of his best features—it’s a glossy, shimmering silver, nearly past his waist. He has the same color fur on his rounded ears and large bushy tail, soft and warm. His elegant face has finely chiseled features, a strong chin and cheekbones, a perfectly proportioned nose (which, thankfully, shows no damage from Konoe’s nip last night), full soft lips, and pale blue eyes—although one is covered by an eyepatch. He hasn’t removed the patch in Konoe’s presence. Granted, Konoe was asleep both before and after Rai was.

Konoe can’t tell the time he wakes, but there is some light through the shaded window outside, so the moon of light must be in the sky. As he stretches out in the bed, he feels significant soreness in his hips from the prior evening’s... activities—and a hot blush rises to his face. He also realizes he is naked, much to his surprise, and his clothing is not on the bed. He snuggles back under the blanket, and pokes his face out, noticing a wonderful smell in the room.

Rai has busied himself at the small table, preparing some food—it looks like nuts and fruits, combined with spices. Much to his embarrassment, Konoe’s stomach makes a loud growl, causing that sharp blue eye to look in his direction.

“So you _are_ awake.” His deep voice sounds dignified, tinged with a hint of amusement. “It’s no surprise you’ve worked up an appetite, little one.”

Konoe feels the blush on his face creeping up to his ears and down toward his chest. He almost wishes he was still affected by the drugs from last night, so this shame would disappear. He’s honestly still confused about his body’s responses yesterday. He experienced something new, something unexpected—and it felt _amazing_. So why is he feeling so ashamed now? He pulls his face back under the blanket.

“Your ears are red.” The voice sounds much closer than it did a moment ago. Konoe jumps at the sound.

“There’s nothing to be ashamed of, young one,” even closer, the voice drops to a purr. “You did very well. I’m proud of you. Come, let’s get some food in you. We have a busy day ahead of us.”

Konoe feels a gentle touch to his ears, brushing down toward his back and rear, which, even over the blanket, makes him shiver.

“Here, sit up,” Rai helps him into a sitting position, keeping him covered. He seems to notice Konoe’s shyness and respects his modesty, but he does not offer any clothing. Instead, he offers Konoe a bowl of ground nuts, fruits, and spices.

“This should help replenish your strength. From what I can see, you haven’t been fed well over the past few weeks.”

The food is delicious. It’s got a wonderful flavor and texture, and the freshness melts in Konoe’s mouth. He follows it with a cup of water, which is nice and cool, also offered by Rai.

As he is eating, he notices Rai watching him, sitting next to him on the bed. He seems... almost uncomfortable. _I wonder, did I do something wrong?_

Konoe tries to remember his manners and finishes the food in his mouth before speaking. “Thank you very much for the food. It is delicious... Is there something bothering you, Rai-Sama?”

There’s a brief pause, and Rai says, “Actually, yes, there is. How much do you know about... the companion trade?”

“Companion trade?” This is a new term to Konoe. He’s never heard of this before.

“Yes. You were sold to me as a companion. It’s legal in Sisa, though highly regulated.”

“Regulated?” Konoe sounds doubtful and is irritated by this statement. Even if the companion trade as regulated, what had he done to be sold off as a slave?

“Yes. Companions are often cats from surrounding villages who have disobeyed their local laws in some way, and have been reported to the main authority in Ransen; or cats who have committed minor offenses; or cats who cannot be cared for; or cats who can’t care for themselves.” Rai glances at Konoe after this statement. Konoe wonders if he knows how he came to be captured.

Konoe remembers the day the knock came on his door in Karou. He was scheduled to be the next sacrifice—meaning, his village would be eating him alive, due to the current food shortage. His choice was to leave and risk his life in the forest (and now, apparently become a slave) or be eaten alive. _Was this just?_ Anger starts to boil in the pit of his stomach.

Rai notices his reaction and says, “I don’t make the rules. But I will care for you, and protect you. You might have been sold to a brothel—I know I was bidding against the most popular brothel in Ransen—or you could have been sold to an owner with many companions, who would sell you for food when he tired of you.”

Konoe looks up at Rai, with a sharp intake of breath, his entire body tensing.

Rai reaches out his hand, cupping Konoe’s face, and speaks gently. “Do not worry. I only plan to have _one_ companion. I’ve been looking for someone like you for a long time.”

“Like m-me?” Konoe is confused.

“Yes. But that’s not important right now. What’s important is that this industry is highly regulated, and I need to follow the regulations appropriately.”

There is another pause, and Konoe notices Rai still looks troubled. It takes a moment, but he continues.

“Some of these regulations are going to be... unpleasant for you. I’ve been trying to figure out the best way to go about this because we can’t get around doing what needs to be done. The question is, what would be easiest for you?”

The anger Konoe was feeling fades quickly, and fear and apprehension quickly take its place.

“Unpleasant how?”

“I’m not sure telling you is a good idea, since it seems you worry a lot. I have more of the drugs they gave you at the auction house, and I considered adding them to your food without telling you. But I thought I’d ask you first if you have a preference.”

“P-preference? What do you mean?” Konoe’s anxiety is bordering on panic.

Rai reaches out to soothe him, patting his arm first, then pulling him in close. Konoe briefly tries to push away, but can’t; Rai is too strong.

“Shh. It’s ok,” he whispers into Konoe’s ear. “Given the choice, if you knew something painful had to happen to you, would you want me to just be there with you as a comfort, or would you want me to actually _do_ the painful thing?”

Konoe’s trepidation increases with those words, and he feels a sweat break out all over his body. He notices a slight quivering in his body, even as Rai holds him tightly.

“S-something p-painful?” Konoe asks nervously.

“Yes. I’m afraid companions are... marked, so they can be identified in case of escape or being stolen. The procedure is quick, but it is painful. There are professionals who perform the markings, but if you’d prefer, I could do it for you in their stead.”

Konoe stiffens in Rai’s arms, terrified of what sort of procedure this “marking” would be. And he considers Rai’s offer.

Rai pulls his arms around Konoe even more snuggly, almost too tightly, and begins stroking his back, up and down, slowly, rhythmically, soothingly.

“If I were to choose, I’d prefer to be there with you to hold your hand, soothe you, and treat any pain afterward.” Briefly, he unlocks his tight hold and lifts Konoe’s chin, so his eye gazes directly into his. Konoe is captivated. “I don’t wish to be the one causing you pain, Konoe.”

Rai hesitates for a moment, making sure Konoe has heard his words, before pulling him into his chest again.

“There may come a time in which I _will_ be the cause of your physical pain,” he goes on, quietly. “But I don’t want to start that now when I’m still trying to earn your trust... Of course, I have given you this choice, and I will honor your wishes, whatever you decide. But I’d rather be there to comfort you and care for you afterward.”

Konoe doesn’t know how to respond, and he is very frightened now. To see this dignified cat speaking this way—he doesn’t understand what could possibly be so terrible.

“Please understand, I’ve tried to have an exception made for you. I was unable to, even after doing the lord of Ransen an important favor.” Konoe hears disdain and anger in Rai’s usually calm voice. “So, once you’ve decided, you’ll also want to decide if you’d like to take advantage of the extra drugs that have been provided. I’d recommend it. It will make the whole experience more pleasant if you feel apprehensive or nervous.”

 _More like scared out of my wits_ , thinks Konoe. _Terror_ —that’s what he is experiencing now. _Pure, unadulterated terror._ He is shaking now, not trembling, and he’s embarrassed by his fear. To his horror, he feels several tears slip past his closed eyes—which he has squeezed shut, hoping to avoid further embarrassment.

The tears drip onto Rai’s chest and start soaking into the fabric. It appears to be a breathable, stretchy fabric—a light knit, specially made for battle. But if air can pass through the fabric, water probably does, too—and this causes Konoe even more consternation.

“Little one.” A gentle voice sounds. Rai’s voice sounds at a loss. Konoe feels a large hand, again tilting his chin upward, but he keeps his eyes averted. He embarrassed by his tears, his anxiety, and his fears, and he was hoping Rai wouldn’t notice, so he keeps his eyes cast down.

He suddenly feels a long, rough tongue on his cheek, licking tears from his cheeks, repeating the same gentle motion, over and over, like the grooming he remembers from late yesterday.

“You will be all right.” The voice sounds assuring now. “I’ll be there the entire time. I’m sure it won’t be anything you can’t handle.”

He finally dares an upwards glance and finds Rai’s blue eye confidently looking into his. “Do you need some time to think about it, before you decide?”

Konoe breathes in deeply, shocked at his quivering breath—he sounds wracked with sobs, actually, though he hasn’t allowed a single sob to escape.

“No. I would like you to be with me, during the procedure, but not to perform it yourself,” he speaks thoughtfully. “I think I’d rather not have you hurt me directly.”

“Good kitten.” Rai sounds pleased with his decision. “And the drugs?”

“I’m not sure. Do you think they would help? I’ll let you decide.”

“Hmm. All right.” Again, Rai makes a pleased sound. “I think giving you some in advance would be a wise choice. It will calm your nerves, and help with your anxiety.”

There’s a small, deliberate pause there as if the large silver cat had considered adding something else, but then decided against it. It raises Konoe’s suspicion slightly, but he doesn’t ask.

Rai releases the smaller cat from his arms and moves back to the table, where he pulls a smaller bag out of his pack. He starts preparing a dose of medication, mixing it with a bit of leftover food.

Before handing the food to Konoe, he helps the smaller cat into his yukata, which was folded neatly and hung over the bench. He covers him modestly and ties the obi in the front.

Konoe realizes that his hands are functioning normally, however, when he takes the medication from Rai.

“Are you ready, little one?” Rai peers into Konoe’s face.

 _I don’t really have a choice, do I?_ thinks Konoe, with a surprising amount of animosity. But he nods, and obediently eats the bitter medication, cleaning it up neatly.

“All right, let’s get moving. We don’t have far to go.” Rai has his equipment on, and he wraps Konoe in his coat again, fastening the top buckle. He produces a pair of light sandals for him to wear. They aren’t anything fancy, but this must mean he will be able to walk for a while.

“Would you like to walk yourself, for as long as you are able.” It doesn’t come out as a question. It’s more of a suggestion. “It will be healthy for your muscles, and after last night’s... activities, it will feel good to stretch your legs a bit.” Rai looks down at him with a bit of a smirk.

Konoe’s ears are blushing again.

“I’ve never seen a cat with pink ears before,” comments Rai, as he holds the door open for Konoe.

Konoe feels the blush creeping down his neck, and he’s thankful the coat is covering him so well. He casts his eyes down in embarrassment. He didn’t know his ears turned pink, either.

Wobbling only a little, he gets up from the bed and wanders out the door.

“You will hold my arm when you start to feel the medication kick in, won’t you.” Another quiet statement sounds right in his ear, startling him, and making him jump. “For now, just walk by my side.”

Konoe can tell Rai has slowed his pace considerably, so he can keep up. Rai takes slower, shorter strides through the forest, continuing the path they were on yesterday—from what he can remember.

Soon, Konoe’s body starts to feel a little strange, but he’s still able to walk. He starts weaving a little, and he can feel Rai’s arm shoot out to grab onto his shoulder to steady him. It’s just a little bit funny, but Konoe doesn’t feel the urge to laugh this time.

Rai watches him closely, and before long, ends up wrapping his arm around Konoe’s waist, pulling him in tightly.

“Are you feeling the effects of the medication now?” Konoe hears low in his ears.

“Hmm,” says Konoe.

Suddenly, he feels weightless, lifted up into Rai’s arms, over his shoulder. “I know, not as much dignity as yesterday, but you’re so much lighter to carry this way,” Rai apologizes. “We’re almost there.”


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rai takes Konoe to the companion registration site, to fulfill the companion registration requirements.
> 
> Please note: non-con violence is in this chapter, including ear piercing and branding. Konoe is NOT having a good day. Skip this chapter if this sort of thing bothers you.

Konoe is feeling quite woozy now, but it’s clear they’ve entered some sort of building. It doesn’t appear to part of a village, however—or at least, not part of a large village.

The building has a large waiting area, but as far as Konoe can tell, they are the only ones inside. Konoe’s mind is fuzzy—and he’s seeing upside down—but it takes him a moment to realize it’s because of the way Rai is carrying him: he actually _is_ upside down.

He can feel Rai’s deep voice murmuring against his body as he checks them in, but he can’t make out the words. Then, Rai puts him down gently on a chair while they wait.

After a few minutes, a cat opens the door and waves them back. He’s larger than Konoe, with medium length orange hair, and matching striped ears and tail. Rai picks up Konoe, bridal style this time, and follows. They are lead to a small room, where a second cat is waiting.

Konoe doesn’t have a chance to look at the other cat before his vision goes dark, and he starts to panic. Rai quickly shushes him.

“Shh, it’s all right,” he can feel whispering in his ear, and Rai’s voice resonating against his chest. “Sometimes _not_ being able to see your surroundings is more comfortable. You won’t be so anxious this way. Trust me, young one.”

Once he realizes he’s been blindfolded, he starts to relax, calmed by Rai’s powerful arms. _Not that I could escape at this point anyway,_ Konoe thinks.

He hears the other cat say, “This one?”

Rai must have nodded in assent because Konoe doesn’t hear anything else. Suddenly, Konoe feels a sharp pinch, a tug, and then a hot burn in his right ear—the ear that isn’t tucked against Rai’s chest. Has it been bitten? Torn? Konoe startles at the pain, tears pricking his eyes behind the blindfold, and a pained noise sounds from his throat. But he is unable to twist his head away. He feels Rai’s hand—he recognizes those long, slender fingers—pressing against his cheek, shushing him and holding him tightly.

“It’s all right, little one, you did well.” His voice is calming, comforting. Konoe can hear something metal clinking loudly in his right ear, and he flattens it against. “No, no. Keep still a moment. Just let him finish... Yes, like that.”

A strange voice says, “Wow, excellent. All done. It looks great. Next, follow me please.”

Rai’s voice whispers, “You did very well. Don’t worry.”

Konoe is lifted in Rai’s arms again, his right ear burning and throbbing, and it feels strangely heavy— _is there something in it? What is this?_ But he relaxes as best he can against that warm chest, and he’s glad his arms are pinned to his sides by Rai’s powerful hold. He feels the urge to touch his ear.

The next room is much louder and hotter—nearly an oppressive heat. Konoe can sense fire, and he is afraid. In fact, he is terrified. He scrambles his body as close to Rai as he can get, and his stomach drops to the floor.

There’s a moment of silence. He can feel Rai’s body stiffen behind him.

“What is this.” He hears Rai’s voice, demanding, not a question. “I didn’t know about this. Isn’t this type of... marking used only on runaways?”

“No, this is part of the new regulation,” answers the other voice. “The lord of Ransen requires it of all companions now. If your companion is caught without it, he might be auctioned a second time, or he could be severely punished.”

“This is ridiculous.” Rai sounds displeased, and Konoe becomes even more frightened. Konoe feels large hands against his back, soothing and stroking, trying to settle and steady his nerves. “There’s no alternative?”

“I’m afraid not. But it’s a fast procedure.”

“Hmm.” A brief pause ensues, but the noise just seems louder in the quiet. Konoe’s senses are strangely heightened behind the blindfold and fuzziness of the medication. “We don’t have a choice then. I guess we should just get it done. Please be quick about it.”

Just as Konoe’s body had started to relax again, he feels himself being turned around, facing Rai in an upright hug, arms pinned to his sides. Konoe is still blindfolded, right ear is still throbbing, with his head is turned, left cheek pressed firmly against Rai’s chest. He can hear Rai’s heartbeat, which has increased both in volume and speed. Konoe can’t defend himself, nor see what is about to happen.

As the drugs have made his mind hazy, he doesn’t realize how vulnerable he is, even when he feels the yukata lifting, exposing the back of his right thigh. The cool breeze against his skin feels nice in the oppressive heat of the room—when he suddenly hears a disturbing sizzle, like meat being pressed against an iron skillet, and along with it, he smells burning flesh.

It takes less than a second, when—“Aargh!”—searing pain, unlike anything he has experienced, seizes the back of his right thigh—tearing a high-pitched scream from his throat.

He thinks he can hear Rai saying something against his left ear, but he can’t understand the words—the burning flooding into his body is overwhelming—is his leg on fire? Is _he_ burning? It feels like the pain creeps down his leg past his knee into his foot, and also up into his groin and stomach. His screams become louder, as the pressure against the back of his thigh increases.

“That’s enough!” comes Rai’s sharp voice, loud enough for him to hear. The pressure on his leg lifts, and the burning sensation is relieved somewhat with it.

He realizes tears have soaked through his blindfold—it’s nearly soaked through—and they are pouring down his face. Konoe hears a racket and realizes it is him, sobbing uncontrollably. For a moment, he feels his consciousness leave his body: he sees himself, a small blindfolded cat, crying loudly, being held and soothed by a large silver cat, while a third cat has stepped away from his body holding a branding iron.

Just after seeing the scene from above, he loses consciousness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m so sorry, Konoe! I do love you, so I don’t know why all these terrible things are happening to you!


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Poor Konoe wakes up in some amount of pain after being pierced and branded in a new inn—one you, dear reader, might be familiar with! However, Rai is out at the moment, taking care of bounty hunting business, and Konoe has had enough, and lets the panic gets the best of him. He doesn’t think he wants to be a companion for the rest of his life, and makes a break for it.

_Where am I?_ Konoe regains consciousness, head still a little fuzzy, amid soft blankets— _I’m probably in bed._ He’s lying on his left side, his right ear throbbing in time with the beating of his heart and a burning sensation on the back of his leg.

 _Maybe a little fuzzy isn’t the right description,_ he thinks, bringing his hand up to his ear. It feels heavy and strange, and he can feel something metal in there— _a piercing? An earring? It feels like a hoop with a stone attached to it_ —that wasn’t there earlier. It must be part of the marking.

He lets out a sigh and turns to examine his leg. It’s his right thigh, on the back, not a place that usually shows through clothing, but he’s been resting with the skin exposed to air. As his fingers touch the burned skin, he understands immediately why the skin was exposed like this. Even a soft touch from his own fingers bring unfathomable pain to the wound, and a pained, grunting sound comes out of his mouth at the touch.

When he looks around, he seems to be in another inn, but Rai is nowhere to be seen. It’s the first time Konoe has been alone in weeks, and he relishes the sensation for a moment—but the thought flits through his mind only briefly, as he continues to examine the wound on the back of his leg.

It’s a brand, but he can’t tell what the mark is supposed to be, from the red, swollen flesh around the burned skin. _It might be a sigil or a set of initials_. Eventually, Konoe’s neck tires from craning, and he flops back into his original position.

He realizes Rai has been kind to him—or tried to be kind—he was positioned thoughtfully on the bed, on his side, with his injured side facing up. He woke without any cramps in his neck or limbs, which are still getting used to not being cramped in a small cage. And he was allowed to rest with his injuries uncovered, with his modesty preserved, covered with sheets from the bed, he realizes, though he is not clothed.

Does his new owner actually _care_ about him? As he remembers the actual branding experience—beads of sweat pop up on his skin when the experience comes to mind—he can remember the feel of Rai’s body tightening up behind him, _almost as though he were angry._

Konoe realizes he is in pain, even now, but more so, he is angry. He doesn’t _want_ to be someone else’s property. Even if he is treated with care, he can fend for himself and doesn’t need protection. He didn’t know about any slave laws in Sisa, nor about any such “companion laws.”

He’s also angry with himself—and still confused by his body’s responses last night. He feels, drugged or not, his body betrayed him when he submitted to Rai’s advances so willingly last night. _Willingly? Eagerly, more like! I was drooling, chomping at the bit!_ Konoe flushes with embarrassment at the memory.

 _Sure, that large silver cat is elegant, and yes, maybe beautiful._ But Konoe had never really felt attraction before; he’s never experienced anything approaching sexual feelings, and he was horrified when his body responded on its own during the humiliating bathing experience with that abusive gray cat at the auction house. _Rai is surely much more elegant and admirable than that cat. Even so... if he supports this “companion cat” trade, he can’t be an honorable cat._

_I have to get out of here._

_I can’t possibly stay here._ The panic starts to rise in his chest. _Who knows what is in store for me if I stay?_

He reaches up to his ear again, and toys with the hoop, trying to remove it. His ear is swollen, and probably red, around the piercing, but it’s only sore, and not very painful. Mostly it feels strangely heavy, since he moves his ears to different sounds within the room, and even a small change will make a big difference. Konoe doesn’t feel an opening or a closure in the hoop— _damn! I can’t get this thing off!_

 _Maybe I can cover it up, so other cats won’t notice it._ He looks around for a hood and finds his yukata, folded up on a chair next to the bed. He slips it onto his shoulders and ties his obi around his waist—though he flinches when the fabric touches the back of his thigh.

 _This is no good. I won’t be able to walk with fabric touching me like this._ Walking to the water basin, he takes a long drink to clear his head. With his head dipped low, he decides to make a bandage from the sheets off the bed. He tears a small piece from the sheet and tucks the rest into the corner of the bed. After soaking the makeshift bandage in cool water, he presses it against his thigh, a loud hiss sounding from his throat. He secures it to his leg with a piece torn from his obi and then drapes his yukata over his entire body.

He slips on his sandals and notices Rai has left him some food. A dried kuim and several nuts, along with a note—written in a beautiful hand—are left on a side table.

Konoe takes a bite of the kuim, and pockets the nuts in his yukata, and admires the handwriting on the note. _It must be from him—the strokes are long, lean and elegant, just like Rai._ Konoe has never been very good at reading or writing, since his mother, his only educator, passed away when he was five, and that’s when his education stopped. So he puzzles out the following words:

 

 

> Dear Konoe-Kun,
> 
> I trust you have slept well, and your wounds are recovering. Please eat—the fruit and nuts will help the healing process. I’ve stepped out for a quick meeting and to run a few errands. I’ll be home before the moon of light sets.
> 
> Rai

_You’d better bet my wounds are recovering._ Konoe peeps outside for the first time, realizing they are in a _very_ different inn than before. They are in a city—surrounded by buildings the likes of which Konoe has never seen, a breath of shock going through his body. And on the second floor, no less.

_Wait. Could this be Ransen? Rai said something about the Lord of Ransen earlier, didn’t he? What was it?_

The moon of light is still in the sky, but very low. If he’s going to go, he’d better go now.

He takes one more look around the room—looking for valuables. Frustrated, he sees nothing. With only the shoes on his feet, the clothes on his back, and the nuts in his sleeves, Konoe takes a step outside the room. If this is Ransen, however, he has hope. He has a friend! A small spark of hope lights in his chest and gets him moving.

He walks down the hallway, passing several doors that look similar to their room (Konoe doesn’t realize he thinks of it as “their room”), trying to quiet his feet, and he heads to the stairs.

The first thing he notices as he’s walking down the stairs is noise. An oppressive amount of _noise_. It’s... _talking_. Cats talking. Amused voiced, drunken voices, laughing voices. Not from the space directly below him, but from a room off to the side. But _so many cats_! What is this place?

As he cautiously descends the stairs, he appears in what looks like a lobby.

“Oi.”

A deep, loud voice startled him, and he jumps. Konoe’s ears tip toward the voice immediately. It sounded from below his feet.

Directly below the stairs, there’s a desk. Maybe it’s the reception desk. Behind the desk, sits a large— _no, a very large_ —cat, with black hair, and orange and black striped ears and tail. He looks up to Konoe’s face.

“Ah, I see,” the striped cat says, sounding almost enchanted. “You must be Konoe, Rai’s... companion.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, I know! I’m writing, I’m writing!


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Konoe meets inn keeper Bardo, who has been tasked with keeping an eye on him while Rai is out. His escape plans are thwarted, but he gets a warm meal out of it, at least.

_Of course, there’d be an innkeeper at an inn._ Konoe’s ears and tail droop a little, his escape plan interrupted.

But this guy has _nothing_ to do with him. He continues descending the stairs.

This cat certainly has a cheerful, booming voice, befitting his large stature.

“Things are suddenly making sense to me now,” Konoe feels the striped cat’s eyes rake over his small frame. “I’ve known Rai a long time, and he never seemed the type to... take a companion.”

“Eh?” A glare rises on Konoe’s features.

“Are you hungry? I told him a few nuts and a piece of fruit wasn’t going to be enough.” His voice has softened, both in volume and tone. “I hear they basically starve you in these auction houses, to make you as submissive as possible, right? What do you say to a hearty home-cooked meal?”

“W-what?” Konoe finds himself taken aback by the striped cat’s kind tone and even kinder offer. He immediately becomes suspicious, however, and his glare turns into a scowl.

“What kind of face is _that_?” The other cat laughs and stands up, stretching, behind the desk. Konoe is intimidated by his size. He is the same height as Rai—probably the same breed—but he is much broader and huskier, with wide muscular shoulders, from Konoe’s perspective. _There is no way I could escape from here, even running at top speed._

“I’m Bardo,” he says, placing his hand on his chest, giving a short bow. “I should have introduced myself earlier. I’m the innkeeper here.”

That reminded Konoe—“H-here? Where is here? Where am I?”

“Oh. You were... asleep when Rai brought you in. You are in Ransen.”

 _Not asleep,_ thinks Konoe bitterly. _Unconscious is the word you’re looking for._ However—Bardo’s answer catches his attention.

“I’m in Ransen?!” Relief overflows in his voice, but Konoe catches his mistake too late. He looks at Bardo a bit sheepishly. “I—I’ve always wanted to visit this city.”

“Have you?” Asks Bardo, now suspicious. Walking toward the foot of stairs, Bardo puts his hands on his hips. “You weren’t trying to escape now, were you?”

Konoe doesn’t answer.

“Because I’d _hate_ to tell Rai if you were. He may have been kind to you so far. But he can be quite the disciplinarian if you don’t keep his rules. It’s in his genes. Can’t be helped. And he’s asked _me_ to make sure you don’t leave this inn. I’ve already ended up on his shit list once, and there’s _no way_ I’m risking that again. And so, _kitten_ , you’re going to sit tight till he comes back.”

Konoe realizes his fur is bristling at Bardo’s slow approach. His ears are flattened against his head— _that damned earring! It’s noisy!_ —and his tail is fluffed up to its fullest—and he can’t help it, but his fangs are bared, claws peeking through at the fingertips. He realizes a soft growling noise is coming from him.

Bardo is completely unfazed by his aggression, much to Konoe’s anger. He takes a step closer and easily grabs the smaller cat by the waist with a single hand.

Pulling him in close, he throws him over his shoulder— _much broader than Rai’s,_ Konoe notices with a flash of fear—Bardo makes his way down a hallway in the opposite direction of the loud noise, directly into a small room.

“You can just wait here, sweetie.” Unceremoniously, Konoe is dumped on a cot, and the bed brushes up against the wound on his thigh. A pained noise escapes his throat.

Konoe jumps off the cot, moving to attack, but Bardo has already crossed the room in two long strides, closing the door behind him. He hears a latch— _there’s a latch on the outside of the door?!_ —locking him inside.

“It’s only for a few minutes,” explains Bardo. “Can’t have you sneaking off. Let me get you some dinner.” Konoe can hear Bardo’s footsteps depart from the door.

He didn’t like how that larger cat had been looking at him. Right now, he didn’t have any of those drugs in his system, he thought. _Why was he looking at me in that predatory way?_ In Karou, other cats kept out of his way, he kept out of the way of other cats, and this kind of thing never came up. But was this kind of interaction common throughout the rest of Sisa, and he just didn’t know about it?

_Is this what being a companion means? Do I have to do... that... with every cat? Is that what’s expected of me?_

Konoe feels disgust and shame come over him, and he feels sick to his stomach. It isn’t as though he hates the look of the striped cat. He doesn't. He just doesn't feel anything, and especially not... that sort of desire.

He remembers his response to Rai’s ministrations last night, the noises from his mouth and throat, his body’s undisguised lust and need—it was _frightening_. _And embarrassing!_ Just thinking about it made his body feel hot and flushed. Even thinking of that pale blue eye resting on his body was enough to shorten his breathing, break him out in a sweat, _and_ _what is this?_ —is his body responding, just from remembering it? _What is wrong with me?_

His chest hurts. Tears prick at the corner of his eyes again. He is in Ransen. That means Tokino is here somewhere. He has a _friend_ here in the city. If he could only escape, perhaps he could seek help.

Konoe returns to the small cot, lying down on his left side, facing the wall. He squeezes his eyes shut. Is he ungrateful to Rai? He doesn’t know anything about this silver cat. _All I know is that I don’t want to_ be _a companion. But am I harming him in leaving?_

_Wait a second._

_Rai is a bounty hunter: one who makes good money—_ really _good money. And he has a reputation for enjoying his job a little too much. Why did he purchase me? And he’d been coming to the auction house for some time before he bid on anyone. Why did he choose_ me _?_

There was what Bardo said, too—that he hadn’t pegged Rai as the type to look for a companion—and that bothers him, too. Those two things make Konoe think a little more carefully.

 _If he is a good bounty hunter, wouldn’t he be able to find me if I escaped? And quickly? Most bounty hunters worth their salt are good at stalking prey. Second—what does he know about me? And what, if anything, does he know about Tokino?_ Would Konoe be putting Tokino in danger if he went to his friend for help?

A tear slips down his cheek. _I’m truly alone in this._

He curls his body up tightly.

_What should I do?_

The round blue eyes of his good friend Tokino appear in his mind’s eye, and Konoe imagines his warm smile. A warm feeling rises in his chest— _nostalgia, mixed with something else—a strange foreign feeling, probably a result of my experience yesterday_ —as he thinks of Tokino’s spiky orange hair—and his ears. _I wonder if they are as soft as they look. They have very short, thick fur—as does his tail. But when he’s hugged me in the past, his upper body is so powerful and strong, from carrying all his goods from one village to the next. He would feel so comforting right now,_ and that thought won’t leave his mind for a few minutes, no matter how Konoe tries to push it away.

His mind wanders like this for a while, keeping him frustrated, lonely, afraid. Until he is startled by a loud clang from another room close by.

 _That giant tiger cat said he’s making something to eat, but he’s probably going to come back here to... to have his way with me. And I’m fully conscious and aware right now._ Fear rises in the back of his throat like bile. _I won’t be able to fight him off—he’s too big, and he_ will _overpower me. I’m not going to be able to handle the shame._

Konoe flicks his ears back as the latch is unbolted from the outside, and the door opens, but he doesn’t move or look up from his spot. He stays curled in a ball, unmoving.

“I’m glad to see you’re making yourself at home, little one,” the deep voice rumbles. Konoe hears something akin to rattling dishes enter the room, and a bench sliding over closer to the cot.

“Sit up, and get a warm meal in that belly,” comes a surprisingly gentle suggestion, right next to his pierced ear. “Sometimes warm food can change your perspective. I think you’ll find you’re in a much better place today than you were last week, or even two weeks ago.” Konoe feels something damp on his ear—suddenly he realizes his ear—and earring—has been licked. His ear flicks down reflexively.

“What are you doing?” He startles and jumps up, pressing his body against the wall, getting as far away from Bardo as he can.

“Oh, now, now,” Bardo teases. “If you start acting coy like that, I’ll get turned on and have to pounce on you. _Behave_ , or Rai will kick _both_ our asses when he gets back.”

 _What? What did he say? Rai will kick_ his _ass? Maybe he_ isn’t _planning to attack me?_

Bardo pats the edge of the cot. “Sit. Eat. Feel better. Come, come.”

The food smells delicious, and Konoe’s stomach makes an audible growling sound, much to his embarrassment. _What the hell? It’s betraying me at every turn!_

“See? Even your body agrees with me!” Bardo cheerfully sets a plate next to him, and takes the other one, helping himself to piles of steaming food.

It looks like steaming, roasted nuts, covered in a sticky, sugared glaze, two small bowls of soup, grilled chicken (or another small fowl), fresh autumn vegetables, and a fruit salad, also covered with a syrup of some kind.

Konoe watches Bardo hesitantly, tempted by the scrumptious smells, seeing what he will take, wondering if anything has been poisoned or drugged.

“What is it?” Bardo asks. “It’s delicious, and tastes best when hot!”

Konoe doesn’t say anything and continues his observations.

“Oh, for goodness’ sake! You think I would invite you to my room to poison you? Or drug you?” Bardo rolls his eyes and deliberately takes a large bite of each item. “You _do_ realize I wouldn’t _need_ drugs if I wanted to have my way with you, don’t you?” A somewhat suggestive smile passes over his lips.

Konoe’s expression sours a little—he does _indeed_ realize that—but he continues his observations. In a matter of minutes, though, his body gives in to hunger. He brings a bowl of soup to his lips, and it’s delicious. It’s been so long since he’s had _anything_ warm to eat like this. It’s truly comforting.

Bardo peers into his face, a hand brushing the tears from his cheeks. “Rai said you’d had a rough time. I’m sorry. Don’t cry. Just eat.”

Konoe starts at his touch—but he’s more startled by its gentleness than its suddenness. He drops his gaze to his food and concentrates on eating. He finishes the soup and reaches for the plate.

He puts a little of everything on the plate to sample each item. The chicken is savory and melts in his mouth—having meat from a bird is a delicacy he never expected to experience. The villages in the north were suffering from a severe food shortage, which is why the sacrifice system was put in place. Why fowl couldn’t be shipped north was something Konoe didn’t understand—perhaps they used cats from the north for the slave trade, purposefully, if the food shortage wasn’t nationwide.

The nuts are also savory, but the glaze is a sugary crispy treat on the outside. They leave his fingers slightly sticky, so he licks them off. The vegetables are wonderful, too—both earthy and fresh, crisply cooked with rich butter melted over the top.

But when he tries the fruit—sweet then sour fills his mouth, with a taste of honey and mint finishing the dish—it’s like a bit of heaven on his tongue. A small pleasured noise that sounds like a hum comes from him in response, and he looks at the dish longingly. He realizes he’s purring quietly after finishing his portion, and his tail is swaying softly from side to side.

“Now _that’s_ what the chef wants to hear!” Bardo says proudly.

“You made all these dishes?” Konoe asks, trying not to sound too impressed, but failing.

“I did. Our inn is known for having terrific meals. In fact, we get lots of visitors for our meals, not only for lodging,” he answers. “More importantly, would you like more Kadil?”

“Kadil?”

“It’s the fruit dessert you seemed to enjoy so much. It’s only made on special occasions, such as during festivals, like Antou.”

“Antou?” Konoe can’t stifle his curiosity.

“Antou is Ransen’s winter festival,” Bardo continues, heaping more fruit onto Konoe’s plate. “It’s a festival left from Two Cane history, meant to ward off winter demons.”

“Winter demons?”

“Yes. It’s very popular. We have music, performances, lots of things to see. There are many specialties available only during this time. The last night ends with a masked ball. Perhaps Rai will take you out to see the sights.”

“Hmm.”

As they finish their meal, Konoe is feeling better, if still a little uncomfortable in Bardo’s presence.

“We should get you back to your room.... Unless you’d like to stay with me till Rai comes back.”

“With you?” Konoe asks, stifling a yawn. He’s found the food has made him quite relaxed.

“Would you like to wait in the reception area with me till he comes back in?”

“Ok.”

“Wait here just a moment.” Bardo takes the dishes out, leaving the door unlocked behind him. Konoe considers bolting for a split second, and then thinks, _he was so kind to me. I can’t do that to him_. Also—he is too relaxed and tired for any sprinting at the moment.

So he simply waits.

When Bardo returns, he holds the door open for Konoe and leads him back into to the waiting area. He helps Konoe settle into a comfortable sofa by the door, covering him with a blanket and pressing a warm mug into his hands.

“What’s this?” Konoe asks, no longer suspicious.

“Glugg,” answers Bardo. “It’s a mulled spiced wine served during the festival of Antou. It’ll warm your bones, and help you sleep well tonight.” Bardo’s takes a sip from his own mug, settling down behind the reception desk again.

The alcohol from the wine seems to float on top of the beverage. It finds its way into Konoe’s nostrils and burns his eyes slightly when he takes a sniff. But when he takes a sip, the drink tastes of cinnamon, cloves, anise, and pure warmth. It hardly burns going down his throat.

“It’s delicious!” Konoe marvels.

“Just drink it slowly,” chuckles Bardo.

Konoe feels warmed up from the inside and outside now. He contentedly settles himself back deep into his chair, snuggly wrapping his tail around himself. He watches while Bardo occupies himself with the inn’s books.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Konoe wakes up in bed—again—and experiences some fluffy, embarrassing, naked time with Rai.
> 
> Nudity, and really embarrassing fluff, but nothing particularly trigger worthy in this chapter.

Konoe wakes up in bed again, the room covered in darkness. _Is this my life now? Waking up in bed, not remembering how I got here?_ It takes a moment for his eyes to adjust. The window is open, allowing fresh air and soft noise from the street to float in. Light from the moon of shadow creeps in along the floor.

He doesn’t remember being moved from the comfy spot downstairs, but he realizes he’s wrapped in a heavy— _almost oppressively heavy_ —blanket. He tries to squirm out from underneath, just to catch a breath, when he realizes that he isn’t being covered by a blanket at all, nor is he alone.

Behind him is the source of warmth. He can see silver hair cascading over his shoulder, covering his small form, and a soft bushy tail wrapped around him carefully. Rai is sleeping behind him—well, more like curled around him—with both arms wrapped securely around Konoe’s body, crossed in front of his chest. Konoe is on his left side, with his right ear open to the air, and his brand exposed to the cool evening breeze.

_Wait. If my thigh is exposed like this... where are my clothes?_

He looks down and realizes he is completely nude. Not even an undershirt or underwear. His only covering is Rai: his arms, his tail, which provides him with more modesty than he would expect, his legs, which are entangled with his own, and that silky hair. Not even a sheet is around him today.

Konoe feels two things simultaneously: First, the sight of that silver hair and fur draped over him is incredibly erotic. Second, and this is a much stronger feeling, he's embarrassed by his nudity, and blushes at this realization, feeling his face, ears, and chest heating up. He isn’t sure what to do.

_Is this my function now? Is it so bad for me to want to sleep in something? I mean—what if there’s a fire? What... exactly... did I sleep through?_

Staying stock still, though not at all relaxed, Konoe tries to take a measure of his body, as unpleasant as it seems. He doesn’t think any... activities happened while he was sleeping. Maybe that glugg that Bardo had given him had been drugged after all? But he can’t feel anything wet or liquid dripping down his legs or thighs. _But speaking of liquids..._

Rather urgently, he has to pee.

He remembers having seen a restroom on the second floor when he’d tried to make his escape earlier. He’d seen a picture of a sand pile on the door he’d passed.

Perhaps he could sneak out and use it without waking Rai. Very slowly and carefully, he unwinds Rai’s arms from around his chest, holding his breath. He then, also slowly and carefully, releases Rai’s powerful legs from their entanglement with his.

 _So far, so good_ , he thinks. _Rai’s breath is unchanged, still slow and steady. Moving his tail will be the hard part._ As slowly as he can—after a deep breath in and out—Konoe lifts Rai’s tail from around his body.

The thick, long fur feels soft and silky in his hands, and he tries not to disturb it too much. But he ends ruffling it just a little when he moves, and he gently smoothes it next to Rai’s large body, enjoying the feel under his fingers.

 _No, stop. What are you doing? What is wrong with you?_ Konoe shakes his head. _I have to pee._

Letting out a breath, Konoe sits up on the bed, realizing, once again, that he is naked. Perhaps no one else would see him if he simply ran to the bathroom and back. Not wanting to take that risk, he looks around the room in search of his yukata.

The moment his toes touch the floor, a deep, very much awake voice sounds behind him, making him jump off the bed in surprise.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

That voice nearly causes him to lose control of his bladder right then and there!

Konoe’s tail bristles out thickly in response, and he looks over his shoulder at Rai, who hasn’t moved an inch from his spot, but whose eye is trained neatly and clearly on Konoe.

“I—I just have to use the bathroom,” stutters Konoe, trying desperately to keep the urgency out of his voice.

“Oh?” A slightly suspicious tone sounds in Rai’s very-much-awake voice now. It doesn’t sound like he had been asleep even an hour before. _Was he faking? Is he trying to trick me?_ “You’re being awfully sneaky about it.”

Konoe’s ears bristle. “I thought you were sleeping! I didn’t want to wake you.” He hisses in the dark.

A short pause ensues, in which Konoe is afraid to move, but he can’t help fidgeting a little. It’s the pee dance! It can’t be helped!

“Well, don’t let me stop you,” insists Rai, leaning back into the bed.

Konoe glances behind him again, getting a good look at Rai in the moonlight. He’s propped himself up on both pillows against the headboard, arms crossed behind his head. He’s just as nude as Konoe, from ears to tail, and very much _unashamed_. However, his hair happens to be covering any important bits, drifting elegantly down past his waist. His tail thumps the bed next to him, a somewhat impatient gesture.

He looks amazing under the moonlight—not like a cat at all—more like some mythical creature. Especially with the expression on his face—challenging, impatient, expectant—all at once.

“What is it?” He asks. “Didn’t you say you had to... go?”

Konoe is flushed with embarrassment. He can’t begin to comprehend the difference between Rai’s confidence in his body—and his nudity—and his own unwillingness to stand up, walk over to the bench where he can clearly see his yukata, and put it on in front of Rai. Even when he has to pee!

_Is this something I’ll have to get used to? What am I supposed to do here?_

_First, I’m going to grow out my hair like his. I think that would help a lot. But in the meantime, I don’t think I can wait that long._ He casts his eyes to his feet. _I can’t just cast my pride aside. I’m not that kind of cat._

He suddenly feels something—it feels like Rai’s soft tail—brushing against his bare side. It surprises him, and he jumps again, in spite of himself—and it tickles like crazy! It is not helping maintain his self-control. The touch feels gentle and teasing, not provocative, however, which also comes as a surprise.

“Go.” It’s an encouragement, spoken softly, not a command. In a slightly more teasing tone, he hears, “Or do you need me to get up and hand you your robe?”

Konoe turns his head sharply, embarrassed by his teasing, and meets Rai’s gaze. Rai continues, “I won’t look.” He covers his eye with his hand.

A small growl comes from Konoe’s throat in response. Rai gives a little laugh, peeking around his hand.

“Now, if _you’re_ going to start growling, I’ll have to peek.”

Konoe immediately plugs the leaky growl from his throat, and Rai puts his hand back to his eye. As soon as Konoe sees that hand in place, he isn’t taking any chances. He jumps up from the bed, grabs his yukata and pulls it over his shoulders and wraps it around his body in seconds.

“Although... after last night, I wouldn’t have thought there was much you’d have to be shy about...” Rai says, in a wondering tone. “Hmpf, you’re disappointingly fast.” He’s moved his hand now.

Konoe doesn’t say anything. He throws a glare at Rai over his shoulder, and, holding his robe closed, marches out of the room to take care of business.

On his way back, he walks quietly, so as not to wake the other guests. He enters their room again and goes to the water basin for a quick drink.

Then, he crawls back onto the bed, keeping his yukata on, and making sure he doesn’t touch the larger cat. His pierced ear is throbbing—probably from the blood rushing into his head—and the yukata feels uncomfortable against his brand. _But I won’t be doing anything immodest. Not today. Not_ ever _. Not while I have control over my body. I don’t care_ what _my role is._

“You know,” he hears Rai’s voice from beside him, taking on a different tone than the teasing he’d heard moments earlier. “I don’t dislike this shy, embarrassed part of you.”

He’s a little taken aback to hear these words.

Suddenly, more is whispered directly into his ear, “I think it’s one of the things that drew me to you in the first place.” His ear reflexively flattens against his head, and he tries to turn away.

Rai’s arms are faster, though, and have snaked themselves around Konoe’s body, pulling him in close. He feels Rai’s warm tongue against his left ear, so he turns his head and body against the mattress, unwittingly working along with Rai’s plans to divest him of his clothing. Before he even realizes, Rai is pulling his arms out of the yukata, has discarded it on the floor next to the bed.

“Even when you were given aphrodisiacs, mood enhancers, catnip, and sedatives, you wouldn’t let go of yourself or your pride.” The soft murmurs continue against his ear. “They tried to control you, and yet, you wouldn’t submit.”

“But then, with me—you relaxed and allowed yourself to experience pleasure in the moment. I was thrilled to share that moment—your first—with you. You have absolutely _nothing_ to be ashamed of, nor to be shy about.”

Konoe can feel Rai’s long fingers in his hair, combing through it gently. While he is naked again, he doesn’t _feel_ naked when surrounded by Rai’s arms, hair, and tail. He allows himself to sink into the warmth of the larger cat’s body, along with the gentle tone of his voice. Rai is hypnotic, captivating.

Rai begins grooming his ears—paying special attention to the pierced one, making sure not to pull it or treat it roughly. It feels good to have gentle touches on his skin, and Konoe relaxes into them.

 _I’m allowing this_ , he thinks. _Just for today, I’ll allow myself this comfort._

“We may, at least for a few days,” Rai says, without slowing his grooming, “want to abstain from further... strenuous activities, just until your markings heal a bit more.” _Strenuous? Like what happened yesterday? Is he giving me a reprieve?_

_Speaking of strenuous activities... what is that pressing against my back? If I ignore it, will it just go away?_

Konoe finds himself purring quite loudly, unable to control himself. _Again, my body is betraying me! This is my_ owner _. He_ bought _me. I shouldn’t just submit._

_But something about Rai just... smells so good. He smells right. He feels like... home should have felt, maybe?_

“I have some time the next few days. We can explore Antou together, perhaps. Bardo said you seemed interested.”

“Mmmm.” Konoe agrees.

“Good. Then sleep.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You can keep reading this story in Broken Spirit - Part 2.


End file.
